Edo APC accuses Oshiomhole of plotting state of emergency

The publicity secretary of the Edo State branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Joseph Osagiede has accused the national chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of a grand plot to cause mayhem in the state in preparation for the declaration of a state of emergency in Edo State.

Besides, Osagiede who spoke with journalists in Benin yesterday charged that Oshiomhole rigged the House of Assembly primaries which produced the 14 absentee lawmakers-elect with a grand plot to impeach Governor Godwin Obaseki.

“When this failed, he masterminded the crisis in the state Assembly, housing 14 lawmakers-elect in Abuja, who should rather be in Edo representing their people. Though the seat of these dissident lawmakers has been declared vacant by the leadership of the House.

“It appears Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is hellbent on pushing Edo state to the precipice with the intent of creating the impression that law and order have effectively broken down in the state so that a state of emergency will be declared by the authorities,” Osagiede said.

He blamed Oshiomhole for the lingering crisis in the state APC adding that “Oshiomhole’s strong-headed approach to entrenching himself as a godfather in Edo state and oust Governor Godwin Obaseki out of office” is responsible for the political unrest in the polity.

Osagiede, who belongs to Governor Obaseki’s faction, alleged that the ex-governor has continued to fan the embers of division by promoting violence and disaffection among the genuine members and leaders of the APC in the state, using imported mercenaries.

In an earlier interview, Oshiomhole had dismissed the impeachment plot by Speaker Frank Okiye with a wave of the hand, wondering what offence Governor Obaseki has committed to warrant impeachment.

Oshiomhole who maintained that the night time inauguration of the House of Assembly was wrong, said that all the governor needed to have done was to lobby the lawmakers so as to have his men as principal officers instead of inaugurating the Assembly why only 9 out of the 24 members.

The APC national chairman who spoke in a television interview said; “Okiye being the beneficiary of the purported inauguration, and he says the agenda is to impeach Obaseki, did he tell you what offence Obaseki has committed,

“Is he known to have committed any impeachable offence. Is he truly that somebody who has just been elected, he has not even been inaugurated his first agenda is to disturb the system by seeking to impeach a governor who is not known to have committed any offence. Is impeachment a tea party? It does not make sense.”

Also, former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and chieftain of the APC, Mr Samson Osagie said the threat or apprehension of State of emergency is perhaps the wish of the government of Edo State has realised that its actions are creating a break down of law and order.

Tribune Online