Edo on the brink as Obaseki declares war on Oshiomhole

The crisis rocking the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Edo State, which has since pitted the state governor, Godwin Obaseki against his predecessor and National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, reached a crescendo Wednesday with the former threatening an all out war against Oshiomhole should he fail to steer clear of the state.

Speaking at a meeting with chairmen of the party in the 18 local government areas of the state, Obaseki vowed to deal with the former governor if he didn’t stop disrupting the peace of the state APC.

Obaseki directed the chairmen to deal with any person or group carrying out activities that are not in the interest of the party in the state.

The governor who maintained that Oshiomhole remained suspended from the party, accused him of being a bad party man who kept dump as party secretariat.

“With all the resources we had he could not support the party until the landlord evicted us. You are Governor or chairman based on the platform that elevated you. That is why I looked for one of the most beautiful building along Airport Road and said this is the secretariat of the party,” the governor said.

“All these nonsense they are doing. If anybody in the name of our party tries to do anything contrary to what we have agreed as a party, we will deal with that person ruthlessly no matter who he is.

“If you are elected a chairman, your attitude should show if you believe in the party. Party supremacy means the leadership of the party must respect the membership. It is the members that make the party supreme because the members subscribed to a constitution which governs the conduct of the party. One man cannot be the party.

“I am the Governor of Edo State and I so authorise it. If anyone comes to your ward or local government to do things outside what the party has agreed I hereby authorise you to deal with that person seriously.

“We are warning the suspended National Chairman. If he continues his activities in Edo State, I will show him that I am the Governor of Edo State. While he was governor, he did not tolerate a fraction of the misdemeanour and misbehaviour he is undertaking today. I have declared that if Oshiomhole comes here to Edo to say he wants to disrupt the activities of the state and the party, we will deal with him the way we know how best to do it.

“Comrade Oshiomhole stands suspended from the party. In due course, we will expel him if he does not behave. The party does not belong to him, it belongs to all of us. We are following the wish of our people,” he said.

“Our next step is to make sure we convince more people to join our party so that all of us can move this state to the next level. I will give you all the support to strengthen the party at the local government. Monthly meetings must hold. Monthly wards meetings must hold. Attendance must be taken. Wherever there are issues, you sit down and discuss it.”

Obaseki’s words words is the latest in what has been months of intense political battle between the two men and their camps.

The Oshiomhole camp who accuses Obaseki of neglecting them after they helped him to become governor in 2016, had vowed to ensure he didn’t return for second term.