Edo crisis: Oshiomhole cannot resolve problems he created - Idahosa

Osagie Otabor, Bénin

A former political Adviser to former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Mr. Charles Idahosa, has said that it was laughable for Oshiomhole to say he would do everything to bring peace to the All Progressives Congress in Edo State.

Idahosa said Oshiomhole cannot resolve the Edo APC crisis since he (Oshiomhole) has become enmeshed in the crisis.

Speaking to newsmen at a press briefing in Bénin City, Idahosa stated that Oshiomhole housed 14 former members-elect and eight members of the Edo APC Executives in Abuja to further caused crisis in the state.

Idahosa who cited instances why Oshiomhole should not be taken seriously said Oshiomhole deceived President Mohammadu Buhari and committed contempt of court by presenting another person as the state chairman of the Edo APC.

He said Oshiomhole presented the man before Buhari despite a court ruling that the man should not parade himself as the state chairman of Edo APC.

On rumoured defection of Governor Obaseki to the PDP, Idahosa dismissed the rumour as being peddled by those he termed Abuja politicians.

He said Obaseki has performed well to deserve a second term and therefore could not be pushed away by Oshiomhole and his foot soldiers.

According to him, “From the way we are seeing issues under Adams Oshiomhole, the APC is dying gradually. It is now for Oshiomhole to step aside and let peace rein in the state. The fight we have in Edo state is a battle of supremacy between the National Chairman of the party and Governor Obaseki. How is he going to sit over his matter; he cannot set up a committee to sit over a case he is involved.

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“It is a black lie to say that the governor is leaving the party for another. Governor Obaseki is not leaving the APC for anybody. He is getting the party ticket and he must do his second term.

“At the last meeting he held with the chairmen, the President said we must approach our politics from bottom up. Any leader that does not have support of the home base is not fit to hold any office in Abuja. Buhari was talking to Oshiomhole. Oshiomhole presently has no home base. He has been suspended by his Ward, the LGA and the State Chapter. The only way out for him is to tender his resignation. Those people that signed the suspension are still alive.

“The National Chairman is the problem. We don’t want bloodshed in Edo. Let him resign and there will be fresh elections. These divisive roles he is playing he wants to be dictating what happened in this state. It is time for him to step aside.

“Oshiomhole is part and parcel of the whole thing. Eight members of the State APC exco are in Abuja. Who is feeding them? On the 27 he invited Anselm as chairman, on December 6th he paraded another person that the court has restrain as Chairman. A man that cannot enter the party secretariat in Bénin.”

Spokesman to Oshiomhole, Simon Ebegbulem could not be reached for comments but one of the lawmakers-elect whose seat was recently declared vacant, Washinton Osifo, said Idahosa does not play politics of ideology.

“It is laughable for Hon Idahosa to be calling for the resignation if our national chairman. He does not play politics based on ideology or principles, he plays his politics on who is bringing the money. He is saying this because of what he is making from the current system. Oshiomhole has come to reposition our great party.

On the allegation that the 14 lawmakers elect were being houses in Abuja and paid salaries by Oshiomhole, Osifo said: “That is far from the truth. We decided from the day of the illegal inauguration in June 17th in night that we are going to challenge the illegal action. The case is in court because we are lawmakers and we cannot be lawbreakers, we are pushing out case legally.

“We also want to commend our numerous supporters for remaining law-abiding in this struggle to enthrone genuine democracy. They should remind calm and disregard this unfortunate comment by Idahosa”