Edo 2020: Obaseki dares Oshiomhole

Edo State has become a theatre of latent war between Governor Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Governor Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, over the second term ticket of the incumbent governor in the build up to the 2020 governorship election. National Daily investigation reveals that the former governor, Oshiomhole, is plotting to extend the Governor Akinwumi Ambode treatment in Lagos State to Edo State, using the party structure and his influence as APC national chairman to stop Obaseki from picking the party’s ticket for his re-election for a second tenure. On the other divide, Governor Obaseki is using the incumbency powers at his behest to counter the plots of his godfather now at the helm of APC affairs in Abuja. Obaseki has subtly been penetrating and overhauling the State APC to strengthen his grip of the party in Edo.
National Daily investigation further reveals that Oshiomhole may be looking in the direction of retired General Charles Airhiavbere, former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who contested against Oshiomhole in his second election, to succeed Obaseki after his first tenure. Apparently, the APC national chairman may be surreptitiously sponsoring Airhiavbere as negotiations and horse trading has been deepened for the next governorship election in Edo State.
However, leaders of the Benin kingdom in Edo south have insisted on the completion a second term to round up the eight years schedule in the power rotation agreement between political leaders of the three zones which include Edo central and Edo north. The Edo south leaders also caution that Oshiomhole is not the one that will tell them they don’t want Obaseki, warning that the former governor should desist from any plot to impose a governor on them of truncate the second term of the incumbent, Obaseki.
Oshiomhole builds confidence in General Charles Aghariele because he has the financial capacity to cause upset in the election, also, he has strong appeal to all stakeholders in the state.
But Obaseki has been fighting to weaken the structure Oshiomhole is building to dethrone him; and subsequently, taking over APC structure in Edo State from Oshiomhole. State party leaders, office builders and other stakeholders are now shifting loyalty to Obaseki.
There are indications that the seeming Cold War between Obaseki and Oshiomhole manifested in the indefinite suspension retired Gen. Airhiavbere by the APC in Oredo ward 01, the heart of the Edo south district.
The state party hinged the suspension of Airhiavbere on accusations of anti-party activities during the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.
Felix Ehiguegbe, the ward chairman and Edward Oviawe, ward secretary, in a statement in Benin City, narrated that Airhiavbere was also suspended by the State APC leadership for supporting the opposition party’s candidates against that of the party during the two elections. They stated that Airhiavbere was found guilty of the alleged offences by an investigative panel.
The APC leaders also alleged that Airhiavbere, on the Election Day, deliberately withheld tags and other party tools meant for agents and APC members, thus, obstructing their movement on the field.
“Retired Gen. Arhiavbere canvassed for votes for PDP and thereby worked against our candidates; President Muhammadu Buhari, and National Assembly candidates.
“He also openly told our party agents and loyalists that they should make sure APC didn’t win the Presidential and National Assembly elections,” the APC leaders said.
Airhiavbere contested the governorship election with Adams Oshiomhole in 2012 on the PDP platform and also contested as governorship aspirant with Obaseki in 2016 on the APC platform.
National Daily gathered that Arhiavbere dismissed the allegations as gang up by the APC leaders to discourage those they saw as threat to them in 2020.
“Definitely, it has to do with the 2020 governorship election in the state.
“This is a sinister movement against those perceived to be threats, it is a case of let us take down the heavyweights, let us take them down now. That is politics but that is not democracy.
“There are laid down procedures for suspension; it is supposed to be from the ward and not to learn about it from the press.
“Nobody invited me; nobody discussed anything with me or that I failed to show up. It is a case of calling the dog a bad name to hang it.
“I didn’t contest, so, why should I be singled out, I was not funded to lead any campaign, I did not hold back any campaign money. There must be a strategic calumny to discourage me from contesting,” Arhiavbere declared.
Moreover, the Obaseki’s cold war with Oshiomhole infested the skirmishes in the Edo State House of Assembly culminating into the impeachment of the Deputy Speaker, Victor Edoror, in October 2018 and his succession by Justin Okonoboh, member representing Igueben constituency.
Osaigbovo Iyoha, lawmaker representing Oredo East, had noted that the impeachment notice was signed by 16 of the 24 members in the House.
The lawmakers accused Edoror, representing Esan Central constituency, of corruption, high-handedness, and desperation.
The impeachment had led to a pandemonium in the Assembly complex which compelled security operatives to shoot into the air to disperse angry supporters of the legislator who had invaded the House of Assembly to scuttle the impeachment.
Generally, while Obaseki would be relying on the domestic political forces in Edo State, Oshiomhole may be deploying the apparatuses of the APC hierarchy in Abuja to claim party supremacy and subtle dictatorial imposition of candidate in the battle for Edo 2020.