Obaseki is not fit to be our party leader – APC caucus declare

Obaseki is not fit to be our party leader – APC caucus declare

The Edo state caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have declared Obaseki unfit for the position of party leader of Edo State by their controversial adoption of former governor, Adams Oshiomhole, as leader of the party, sidelining other more senior leaders of the APC, who incidentally are from Edo South.

Many party members from Edo South and some from Edo North have kicked against the decision to choose a former governor as leader over a sitting governor who is overtly more certified and qualified than the former governor.

Many argue that it is against the protocol and rules of the party and common sense to have a former governor give directive to a sitting governor.

A commissioner-designate from Edo South who spoke to Urhokpota Reporters on condition of strict anonymity, frowned at what he called “the overbearing tendencies” of the former governor and vowed that “at the appropriate time, we will open the books because if some think that they made Obaseki, we will prove to them that it is a lie, after all, who made them? Did they make themselves?” He said.

The decision to anoint Oshiomhole as party leader for Edo state was reached at the inaugural caucus meeting of the party held at the government house, Benin City on Monday evening.

The controversial endorsement has started a major crack in the wall of the APC.

Members loyal to the three most senior members of the APC in Edo State who are incidentally Benin indigenes are unhappy with the sidelining of the three leaders who from Edo South, in preference for a former governor.

The three most senior members of the APC, in order of Official protocol, are Mr Godwin Obaseki who is governor of the state, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun who is former governor of the state and national chairman of the APC, and Dr. Ehanire who is Minister of State for Health.

Oshiomhole’s decision to sideline these three most senior leaders of the APC from Edo South is viewed by many as an affront and indictment on Obaseki and his office.

Led by a former APC gubernatorial aspirant, Mr Ayemere Agbonmere, a faction of the APC have condemned the apparent humiliation of Governor Obaseki who the rules of the APC makes automatic leader of the party by virtue of his position as Governor.

Oshiomhole who addressed the leaders after his controversial endorsement, expressed appreciation over the endorsement and cajoled the humiliated Obaseki loyalists by declaring that the performance of governor Obaseki so far in the state is an indication that the leadership of the party did not make any mistake in backing him.

He also disclosed to the meeting that the ongoing processes for the nomination of commissioners in the state Executive Council will follow the guidelines that he gave to party leaders across the 18 Local Government Areas and that the response so far has been very encouraging.

\According to him, “the guidelines were clear enough, most of the choices will be home grown. We will have minutes of meetings where the decisions were taken and all the that led to their nomination. It must be ascertained that there was a consensus.”