A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Chukwuemeka
Eze, has blamed the loss of the governorship election in Edo State on a former
National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole.
The incumbent and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Godwin Obaseki,
who was forced out of the APC by Oshiomhole, won the election.
Obaseki defeated the candidate of the APC, Osagie Ize-Iyamu,
favoured by Oshiomhole, for the loss.
Speaking on the development, Eze, a former National Publicity Secretary of the
defunct New PDP, said the unpleasant carriage and incoherent disposition of
Oshiomole was the single factor that caused the party the election.
In a statement on Monday, Eze said it is heartrending to learn that Edo State
has been added to the league of States like Zamafara, Rivers, Bauchi, Bayelsa,
Benue, Sokoto, Adamawa, and Oyo, where sheer administrative incompetence and
gross leadership malady occasioned by the self-styled and kooky steering model
of Oshiomole scuttled the electoral chances of the APC and deprived the
majority from having their way.
With the development in Edo, Eze said it is only fair to settle that
Oshiomhole’s membership of the APC is a curse, which has brought brutal
misfortune and severe affliction on the party.
He said the gains and achievements recorded by the party under the sterling
leadership of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun as National Chairman have been swept
away by the dangerous flood of unending catastrophe, which has overwhelmed the
party as a result of Oshiomhole’s disastrous and poor approach to leadership
and party politics.
He said the former labour leader must formally apologise to
President Mohammadu Buhari and members of the APC for the serial embarrassments
and heavy damages occasioned by his very quirky carriage.
Eze congratulated Obaseki and commended the good people of Edo State for
striving to extinguish godfatherism in their domain as they embark on the
journey of consolidating the gains and achievements recorded in the last four
years under the APC Administration in the State.
While appealing to Obaseki to find a place in his heart to forgive Oshiomhole
and all those who helped him cause havoc in the APC, Chief Eze tasked the Edo
State Governor to begin the process of taking back his position in the
progressives family, which he described as his natural habitat, considering his
numerous sacrifices and contributions in the formation of the party, assuring
that his place in the party is still very much reserved and intact.
Eze further hailed the good people of Edo State for demonstrating character and
displaying their resolve to guard jealously and protect the funds and economy
of the state from external hawkers, who are shopping for opportunities to
extend the boundaries of their squander mania and slavery spirit to other
territories.
The APC stalwart counselled Ize-Iyamu to prevail on Oshiomhole to offset all
his electoral expenses, seeing that it was his damaging campaign against him as
well as his poor leadership mannerisms that cost him and the APC the election.
Eze joined Buhari in commending INEC and Security Agencies for
displaying a high degree of competence and professionalism, which translated
into a peaceful and very successful electoral outing.
He called on Nigerians to commend the President for allowing a transparent
process, describing him as a true statesman and democrat.
Eze said with this record, Buhari has equalled the democratic feat of Dr.
Goodluck Jonathan, who allowed the votes of Edo State people to count in 2012
when Oshiomhole was reelected as governor against all odds.
According to the official result declared by the Independent National Electoral
Commission, Obasaki scored 307,955 votes to defeat Ize-Iyamu with 223,619
votes.
