Benin City, Edo State – Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North at the National Assembly, conveyed his condolences to the family of the late Esogban of Benin Kingdom, Chief David Edebiri, during a visit on Thursday. Oshiomhole, a former Governor of Edo State, used the occasion to indirectly express his dismay at the ongoing rift between Governor Godwin Obaseki and Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, which centers around the 2024 governorship election ticket in the state. He made a pointed remark, declaring that “there is no IDP camp in APC.”
In a veiled statement, Oshiomhole rebuked deputy governors who find themselves in conflict with their governors. He emphasized that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is not a political platform that can accommodate politicians who become estranged from their superiors.
According to Oshiomhole, ” …What I read about somebody going to court to complain about being suspected of being impeached, I don’t know how courts adjudicate over suspicion.“But let me say this, to say that somebody wants to run to the APC, I want to say APC is not a rehabilitation centre. I can tell you that for free.
“We in APC are satisfied the way we are; we are happy in opposition and we are not about to receive people who are coming because they have lost out. I want to say that there is no IDP camp in APC.“So, my advice is that those who are having challenges, should learn how to respect their bosses. I have always advised people that whoever you work with, be loyal.
“Regardless of party divide, it is my wish for Edo to be governed in peace and harmony because the supra party to which we all belong to is the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the political parties even the rate of camping and decamping and re-camping shows that the only thing that is constant is Nigeria and not the political parties.
“I was here and I was unable to support my deputy to succeed me, but my deputy never took me to court. And if there are people who always profit from crises, they cannot have my support.
“Regardless of what anybody will say, I come from only one of the clans in my local government, it will be nice if only my clan produce the governor but I know that Nigeria doesn’t work that way, there are those sentiments that people think that at this level of our development, the thing should go round.”
This visit and Oshiomhole’s comments underscore the deepening political tensions within Edo State as the upcoming 2024 governorship election looms. Oshiomhole’s stance signals a perspective that party unity and cohesion are pivotal in the lead-up to the election, and internal discord could undermine the APC’s prospects.
As the political landscape in Edo State continues to evolve, Oshiomhole’s visit and his candid remarks provide insight into the dynamics at play within the state’s political arena.