BY ANDY ASEMOTA
His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, is Governor in Edo State by providence. Providence in the sense that he is a product of the kind of political atmosphere ex-Governor Godwin Obaseki found himself at the time he ruled as Edo governor.
Prior to becoming governor, Okpebholo, though a senator was not part of what K.O. Mbadiwe would call timber and calibre in the political clime of Edo State.
For me today, we will not talk much about the significant accomplishments of the administration because that is not the subject of discourse.
However, I want to look briefly at Obaseki political activities from the twilight of his administration to his recent statements condemning Okpebholo’s administration.
In the 2024 governorship election in Edo State, the fact is the Obaseki led then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state was completely beaten in the election, until it is proved otherwise Among the factors that impacted on the election, was the influence of the group of Edo politicians led by Senator Adams Oshiomhole.
Obaseki’s betrayed him. Unfortunately also, Oshiomhole fell out with Obaseki before the end of Obaseki’s first tenure in office as governor.
Please, recalled that Obaseki, with some of his ardent followers, defected from the All Progressive Congress (APC) to the PDP and emerged the governorship candidate of the party and won that election for a second tenure which expired on November 12.
However, it’s being said that one of the biggest blunders Obaseki committed as a governor was his inability to nurture and produce a successor from his party.
No matter what the reason or reasons may be, Obaseki sees it as a very big political absurdity. Therefore, Obaseki decided to work against Okpebholo, who is loyal to Senator Oshiomhole.
To politics watchers, success without successor is no success, thus Obaseki wanted his party to win the September 21 governorship election in Edo State “by all means” but he was outwitted during the election.
Other reasons Obaseki’s anointed candidate, Asue Ighodalo, lost the governorship contest included the issue of Obaseki’s former deputy, Hon. Phillip Shuaibu, that he (Obaseki) prevented from actualizing his governorship ambition.
When Obaseki outwitted Shuaibu in the contest for the PDP governorship ticket, Shuaibu cross-carpeted and joined the APC. During the governorship poll, Shuaibu became one of the nemesis of Obaseki’s choice, ASU Ighodalo.
Regrettably, it is also said that Obaseki also betrayed the Benin Royal Palace in the twilight of his administration. Be that as it may, Okpebholo is his arch political rival.
After Okpebholo emerged the flag-bearer of the APC and his emergence as Edo State Governor, Obaseki unleashed a formidable campaign of calumny, deceit and blackmail against Okpebholo’s administration..
From the look of things, many Obaseki’s apologists, particularly some of those who served till the end Obaseki’s administration, for instance, Chris Nehikhare and Crusoe Osagie, are Okpebholo’s arch political enemies.
Till date, Chris Nehikhare, who served as information commissioner in the second stanza of the former government, is now the spokesman of caretaker committee of the PDP in Edo State, while Crusoe Osagie is the media adviser to the former governor, having served as his special adviser on communication, strategy and media affairs from 2016 to 2024.
Obaseki sees Okpebholo who is already in power as the only obstacle in his way to have Asue Ighodalo as his successor.
So, the former governor and the men, who are some of the greatest beneficiaries of previous government, started from the day Okpebholo emerged as APC flag-bearer to put in all their arsenal so as to bring Okpebholo’s government to disrepute.
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