Stop Disrupting Activities in Edo, Obaseki Tells Oshiomhole

Stop Disrupting Activities in Edo, Obaseki Tells Oshiomhole

Adibe Emenyonu in Bénin City

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has vowed to deal with the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, if he (Oshiomhole) continues to disrupt political activities in the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Obaseki said Oshiomhole as a governor would not tolerate a fraction of the misdemeanour and misbehaviour he (Oshiomhole) is undertaking.

The governor who spoke when he attended a meeting of the 18 APC local government Chairmen in the state at Sokponba road in the state capital, added that he would show Oshiomhole that he (Obaseki) is the governor of the state.

The Edo State governor said the regret of the Edo APC was the elevation of Oshiomhole without knowing the kind of a person he is.

He directed the party chairmen to seriously deal with any persons or group carrying out activities outside what the party hierarchy has agreed to do.

Obaseki stated that Oshiomhole did not build the APC as there was no party structure in place when he became the governor.

According to him, “This is not a party man. Look at the dump he kept the party as a 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.

“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,” he said.

“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”.

However, a former Deputy Whip, House of Representatives, Hon. Pally Iriase, described Obaseki’s comments as unfortunate and a hard one.

Iriase said the APC ought to be built and run on democratic principles, adding that there was no room in the APC constitution for garrison tactics.

The former lawmaker who represented Owan Federal Constituency, stated that receiving defectors does not amount to anti-party activities.

He said what Obaseki is doing amount to anti-party activities, adding that APC would not allow the governor to stop the party from growing if he does not cherish growth.

“Ever since we left the military, we have not seen this kind of repressive administration that gag political opinion. By now, Obaseki should be pointing out projects in my local government and several others places and not this jackboot tactics”.

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