Assembly Crisis: I’m not Edo state’s political godfather, Oshiomhole replies

National chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has dismissed media reports insinuating that he has constituted himself as godfather in Edo state.

Speaking to reporters in the Presidential Villa Abuja, he said those accusing him of being the godfather of Edo should produce evidence. Oshiomhole went on to say he cannot be a godfather, haven fought godfatherism in the past as governor of Edo state.

His words: “I am a democrat. That I accept the credit, not only that I fought godfatherism, I launched the one man, one vote campaign to fight against election rigging anywhere in Nigeria and by the special grace of God under PDP with Anenih alive, and at his best, I won all the 18 local government areas and I won 95 percent of the total votes cast in my second term election.

“So, Edo people know me and I know them. I don’t need shortcut to sustain my position in the system. But you know that there is nobody in Nigeria who is not open to accusations. The important thing is that he who accuses should give you evidence.” He described the political logjam in Edo as a mockery of the rule of law, saying “it’s very embarrassing if any state governor, particularly of APC extraction, will do anything that is less than what the constitution says and the example that our president has set.

“So, you know that what happened in Edo was that they did not publicize a proclamation letter; the members were not informed, they did the inauguration at 9:30pm in what in a Supreme Court judgement call nocturnal hours.

“Business of parliament is done transparently; they are not secret cult. Now, you have a 24-member House: 19 members protested. You have six and you carry people in their short knickers. Even in the House they have rules, the dress code. So, it happened in Edo, it has happened in Bauchi.”

Recently, 15 Iawmakers-elect, including Mr. Seidu Oshiomhole, younger brother to Comrade Oshiomhole, representing Etsako West 11 in the Edo state House of Assembly, were attacked by some suspected hoodlums

The lawmakers attacked are loyal to the APC national chairman, and they were reportedly not invited to the inauguration of the state assembly on Monday, June 17, where nine members reportedly elected Honourable Frank Okiye as Speaker.

During the violent assault, the elected legislators who vowed to resist the emergence of Okiye, a loyalist of Governor Godwin Obaseki, were severely beaten up by the thugs.