By Adibe Emenyonu
The Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ward 10 of Etsako West Local Government Area (LGA) of Edo State, Mr. Stephen Oshawo, whose chapter suspended the former National Chairman of the party, Mr. Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, which eventually led to his removal from office, yesterday, said he has no regrets over his actions.
Oshawo stated this in Benin City, while receiving an award of honour for good governance as an outstanding political icon of the year, given to him by the Chief Executive Officer of Mega House Entertainment, Goodluck Osama Ogbeide.
He said: “The truth is that, when the former government (Oshiomhole) was in power as the governor of the state, I was insider. I was the chairman in ward 10. I suffered many things and nobody knew me or recognised me.
“As a chairman of the governor’s ward as he was then, I couldn’t receive my gratuity as a pensioner. I was not able to get my pension for eight months but when Godwin Obaseki came in, it didn’t take him up to a month, he paid my gratuity and not only me but all the pensioners in Edo State.
“There is nobody he is owes and if you are retiring today, next month you are receiving your pension. So, I have much to say which makes me to believe in him”, he said.
Oshawo who denied facing any threat from his home, noted “I just came back from home yesterday because of this award. I have been at home for more than a week now. When comrade Goodluck called me yesterday to say this was going to happen in Benin, that is why I came and if not, I would have been at home by now. Nobody drove me from my home. I stayed in my home, I worked in my home.”
He added that suspending the national chairman of the party in his ward has made him more popular.
“I believe in God and I don’t know if anybody is threatening me but the pressure is political.
“I don’t have any personal pressure from any quarters but I don’t know my enemies and I don’t know if somebody is planning. You know when David killed Goliath, people were singing that David killed 10,000 while Saul killed 1,000.
“People were not happy. So, if people are praising me like this man has done, I know other people will not be happy because it made it to become the David and that they are singing that I killed thousands of people because I eliminated godfatherism.
“So, those who are under that level will not be happy with me while those who know that I have come out to liberate them, they will be happy with me and praise me.
“So, I am very happy for what is going on. There is no pressure from any quarters at all, neither is there any threat from any quarters,” he explained.
