Obaseki Cannot Limit His Deputy from Governorship Ambition, Says Idahosa

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-city

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Mr. Idahosa, yesterday described as unfortunate the recent face-off between the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki, and his Deputy, Philip Shaibu, pointing out that the governor has no right to tell the deputy governor the limit of his political ambition.

He said: “The major problem we have is weak leadership. What we see here is that the people are afraid of telling truth to power. The quarrel was unfortunate. I was very disappointed at some comments of our leaders.

“The governor has no right to tell the deputy governor the limit of his political ambition. Obaseki didn’t need to fight Shaibu, the fight was totally uncalled for.”

The member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT), who spoke during an interactive session with journalists in Benin-city, the capital of Edo State, said a similar scenario played out during the administration of Adams Oshiomhole when the then Deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu, wanted to succeed him, but Oshiomhole refused to support him, rather, he chose Obaseki as his successor.

According to Idahosa, “Oshiomhole did not fight or stop Odubu from contesting the primaries. So Obaseki has no right to tell his deputy not to have governorship ambition.

“During Governor Lucky Igbinedion, his Deputy, Mike Oghiadomhe, nursed the ambition to succeed him but he did not succeed, and at the same time, his boss did not fight him either.

“In any case, what did he want his deputy to aspire to after eight years as deputy governor, to become local government chairman? Naturally, after deputy governor, he would want to be a governor.”

Idahosa, who also spoke on the division within the ranks of members of the PDP ahead of the state governorship election and acknowledged that there is a problem in the party, said: “I just pray the PDP puts its house in order before the election.”

Reiterating his earlier call for a ‘homeboy’, who knows every political nook and cranny of the state and the pain of the people, to be elected the next governor of the state, Idahosa, a former political adviser to then Governor Oshiomhole, said in all spheres, Edo State has had ‘homeboys’ who have achieved without moving out of the state.

“What we are saying is that we can do it in politics. When it comes to politics, we need somebody who understands the terrain and who is part and parcel of the people. You don’t go and bring somebody who doesn’t know us. This time, we need somebody who is part and parcel of us,” Idahosa stated.

He clarified his reference to ‘mama put’ in his earlier interaction with journalists six weeks ago, which he said some critics have taken out of context, saying it was to explain what a candidate did after winning election by paying money to operators of some eateries in Benin-city to provide food for his supporters in appreciation of their support for him.

The PDP chieftain described the recent celebration of Midwest region at 60 in Benin-city as “bazaar and uncalled for,  because there was no basis for celebrating a state that has defunct.”