Power Tussle: Oshiomhole, Obaseki Divides APC Members

The feud between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his estranged ally and National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole keeps festering ahead of the party’s primary on June 20,

Confusion is currently trailing the legal battle between Oshiomhole and Obaseki’s camps at the Federal High Court, Benin, over the mode of primary to be adopted in the June 22, 2020, governorship primary in Edo State.

While the legal counsel to Oshiomhole’s camp, Rowland Otaru, told journalists that the court reserved ruling on the matter, that of Obaseki’s camp, Ken Mozia, said the court stopped APC and Oshiomhole from adopting any method of primary in the governorship election primary.

The disagreement between the duo reached a new height in 2019 when the governor declared that Oshiomhole must inform him (the governor) any time he wanted to visit the state so as to ensure his personal safety.

It started as a rumour. Then it gained traction and by time delegates of the Edo State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), go to the polls to elect the party’s flag-bearer in the governorship election in the state later in the year, it would have taken a miracle to see Governor Godwin Obaseki and his estranged ally, former governor and current National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, in the same camp.

Many knew this was far from the truth as it was during the period the national chairman had issues with some national leaders of the party.

Rewind to four years ago and you would wonder what could have gone wrong between the two political soul mates.

Initially, the discord between the two politicians was being discussed in hush tones within the state until the bubble burst some months ago.

Though many had accused the governor of ‘showing his hands’ too early. He has also been accused of being ungrateful to the man who ‘made’ him politically and biting the hand that fed him.