The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, on Monday paid a
surprise visit to his predecessor and National Chairman of the All
Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole.
Obaseki, according to a statement, went to greet Oshiomhole, who
was at his Iyamho country home in the state with his mother, Hajia
Aishetu Oshiomhole, for Eid-el-Kabir.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communications,
Crusoe Osagie, was quoted in the statement as saying that the visit
had punctured the claims that Obaseki and Oshiomhole were
quarrelling.
He said, “The notion that these two men are adversaries is being
propagated by people seeking to profit from the challenges they
have been working so hard to foment. You cannot blame such people
really. Their talents and abilities are severely limited, so it is
in their collective interest to create tension and drive division,
but I can tell you that they have already failed.
“It is not in their interest for Edo State to progress, so they
will try to twist the purpose of this visit. This is what they’ve
always done and it’s their stock-in-trade.”
Osagie said Obaseki had promised not to share public funds among
powerful politicians but would spend same on the projects that
would benefit the masses.
According to the statement, when asked whether Obaseki’s visit
to Oshiomhole meant that the governor would yield to the National
Assembly’s instructions to issue a fresh proclamation for the
inauguration of the state House of Assembly, Osagie said he would
not comment on the matter as it was already in court.
He said, “I cannot speak on this matter as it is sub judice. But
I think the whole world knows that the Edo State House of Assembly
has already been inaugurated. No person or group of persons or
institution other than the judiciary can order a governor to do
anything on a matter that is before courts of competent
jurisdiction.
“We are a nation of laws and by the special grace of God, we
will all be alive to witness the law run its full course.”
Obaseki later said he had met with Oshiomhole and efforts were
being made to resolve the issues between them.
The governor said this at the St. Paul Catholic Church, Benin,
during a mass organised to mark the 80th birthday of John
Odigie-Oyegun, former national chairman of the APC, on Monday.
He said “We have met – me and my predecessor in office – and
fortunately, we do not have any fundamental issues. And because we
do not have any fundamental issues, I believe that whatever third
parties are trying to propagate I am sure we can talk over it. I
assure you that very soon things will return to normalcy in Edo
State.”