By Ehi Ekhator - NAIJA CENTER NEWS

The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki continues to dance in the market place as friends and foes await his triumph or fall.

Obaseki rose prominently in 2016 on the rear of his former boss, presently, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole.

Not long after the political race, the team dropped out of love, prompting a split in the state party.

The individuals who pitched tent with Oshiomhole blamed Obaseki for disregard while Obaseki asserted he was targeted for his refusal to share money to the Draculas that had sucked the state throughout the years.

The two camps have shown muscles in the battle for control, in any case, Obeseki’s fall is the position of his most despised adversary, Oshiomhole who is backed by the party constitution to make or break a king.

On May 22, Oshiomhole led National Working Committee announced the adoption of direct primary for its governorship election, a decision that didn’t go well with the governor who immediately repelled with his own choice of Indirect mode.

In his defence, the governor who appeared on Channels TV on Sunday evening said he opposed the direct primary for two reasons: Political and public health problems.

According to Obaseki, “One is political and one is public health-related. In terms of primary, I am a true party man, it does not really matter to me what mode of primary, I am confident enough given what we have done in the party, but we have our party constitution and it is clear on how a primary should be conducted.

“The party constitution says that the state executive will determine the kind of primary they want and the national party just comes in to supervise what the state does”

On Health-related reason, Obaseki said, “To this end, we have put in place modalities to ensure strict compliance with the COVID-19 prevention guidelines as announced by the COVID-19 Presidential Task Force and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.”

However, the National office has insisted that it has the absolute right to decide the mode of the primary. One of the troubles Obaseki has is the position Oshiomhole occupies. The National Chairman is like a mosquito on Obaseki’s testicles.

In an attempt to checkmate the National party, or perhaps, as the government alleged that it was for public health reasons, the state APC released a gazette banning political gatherings in the state.

On Thursday, the governor signed a new gazette banning political or social gatherings involving more than 20 persons in the state without his direct approval.

The governor also approved Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City as the only facility for any political party desirous of gathering for the primary election.

The governor had claimed that his love for the people led to the decision in a period where the world is battling COVID-19 pandemic.

Obaseki Contradicts Himself, Says Ize-Iyamu Campaign Organization
The Campaign organisation of Pastor Osagie Ize- Iyamu said Obaseki contracdicted himself when he granted an approval for the Peoples Democratic Party to hold ward Congress.

The Director of Communication John Mayaki said the governor’s decision contradicts his claimed that such a gathering may undermine the effort to curtail the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayaki said, “Governor Godwin Obaseki’s campaign of mix messaging, confusion, and hypocrisy over the conduct of elections in Edo State and how it may impact public health became clearer to the people yesterday, Monday, June 8, when news of his approval to the opposition PDP to conduct its congresses across wards in the state emerged”.

“Although the PDP had chosen the indirect primary route, the constitution of the party, similar to that of the APC, compels it to first conduct ward congresses characterized by the participation and assembling of its registered members across the state to vote in a direct primary and elect representative delegates to take part in the indirect primary at a later date”.

Meanwhile, members of the Oshiomhole camp are insisting that the National body has the power to conduct the primary irrespective of the health danger it may pose.

The National Chairman “whose pride compensates for his height” wrote to the Independent National Electoral Commission insisting that the party had chosen the direct primary for the selection of its candidate.

The letter captioned “Notice of intention to conduct direct primary for the Edo State Governorship Election,” read in part, “I convey to you my compliments and wish to respectfully inform you that the All Progressives Congress has decided to conduct direct primary for the Edo State Governorship Election on Monday, 22nd of June, 2020.

“Therefore, direct primaries will be conducted in one hundred and ninety-two (192) wards.”

The problem with the letter is that Oshiomhole wrote INEC three days before the NWC publicly announced its mode of primary, an indication that Oshiomhole had made up his mind, plus, the decision wasn’t really in the hands of NWC.

A former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ehigie Edobor Uzamere told NAIJA CENTER that the adoption was doubtful as Oshiomhole held the NWC meeting around 7 pm on May 22.

For him, it was unreasonable and selfish for the National Working Committee to call for a direct primary when, the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole enjoyed indirect primaries during his two terms election.

INEC Backs Oshiomhole Direct Primary
On Sunday, the Independent National Electoral Commission said it will only honour the mode of primary submitted to it by the national chairman of the party.

“In our rules and regulations, the letter to this effect is signed by the National Chairman and National Secretary of political parties indicating the date, time and venue for the conduct of party primaries and the mode of the primaries.

“The mode of primaries to be adopted by political parties is a function of their constitution, the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and the regulations and guidelines issued by INEC.

“So, we don’t have business with state branches of political parties because our rules, regulations and laws say we should relate with the national chairman and the national secretary in terms of fixing party primaries, whether direct or indirect.

“The commission will not dictate to political parties the mode of primaries to adopt as it is a purely legal and party affair. What is certain is that the commission will monitor the primaries and provide protective equipment for its staff that will be involved in the process.”

However, INEC Chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu on Friday expressed fears about the looming acrimony in the primaries in Edo State.

Yakubu had said, “The primaries for the nomination of candidates for the Edo governorship election have commenced. As you are aware, the conduct of primaries by political parties tends to be very acrimonious. The acrimony is carried forward into the electioneering campaigns and Election Day activities. Already, there are warning signals.”

I have no Fight With Oshiomhole – Obaseki
The “not so eloquent Governor” said on Sunday that his rift with Oshiomhole was his impositions on the state.

He said “I don’t have a rift with him as a person, I just do not agree with some of his decisions he is taking as it relates to the party, It is not in the interest of the party.

“The quarrel is, the party is not allowed to make its decisions from the base, decisions are imposed from the top and that is not ogling well and it is creating disharmony the system.”

Obaseki also believed that those who want him gone do not have a concrete reason to call for his dismissal other than political reasons.

The Governor is contesting the primary alongside Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Pius Odubu, Chris Ogiemwonyi, Osaro Obazee and Mathew Iduoriyekemwen.

Edo APC May End Up Like Zamfara State: Implication
Yesterday in Benin City, a Federal High Court adjourned hearing in a suit seeking to restrain Oshiomhole led National Working Committee (NWC) and INEC from conducting governorship primaries using direct primary election mode.

Adjourning hearing to Thursday, June 11, the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Garba Umar, said all parties in the suit are not permitted to do anything contrary to the procedure and hearing of the suit. He also directed parties to file all papers and exchange the same documents within two days.

It could be recalled that Oshiomhole narrowly escaped ousting a few weeks back after members of his committee accused him of high headedness.

The party members who were carrying placards with many anti-Oshiomhole inscriptions said the protest was to register their anger “over the way the national chairman of the party handled its affairs.”

Meanwhile, some members of the party believed that INEC support for Oshiomhole’s direct primary is not a pass for legal backing. According to them, APC will win Edo State but might lose the legal battle.

Oshiomhole might succeed in unseating Obaseki, however, the same achievement might be his doom if Edo APC does not participate in the next election or loses to the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party.

The governor who seems to have vocabulary deficiency might also narrowly scale the unforgiven Oshiomhole whose fear of losing his respect is bigger than the alleged abandonment of his project, but, the battle my sink the duo if commonsense is not applied.

Read more: https://naijacenter.com/politics/the-unforgiven-chairman-and-the-vocabulary-deficient-governor/
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What a long memory verse..

All this epistle for two men fighting for their pockets ...our foolishness is why we are where we are now in Nigeria !!

Oshiomonkey sponsored trash.

LabDNA:
Oshiomonkey sponsored trash.

Oshiomhole? Did you read it? The article trashed both parties.

crazynation:


Oshiomhole? Did you read it? The article trashed both parties.

It's their usual strategy to thrash both parties and create a semblance of neutrality and objectivity to the undiscerning.

But if you scratch a little beyond the surface you'll find the rat in the hole.