Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki, has warned the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to desist from his provocative activities in the state.
He said he may be forced, as governor, to invoke his powers to deal with him and his allies in the proscribed Edo People’s Movement (EPM).
Obaseki made the threat at a meeting with the party chairmen across the 18 local government areas of the state on Wednesday.
“The party does not belong to him (Oshiomhole); it belongs to all of us. It is the members that make the party supreme and not one individual,” he said.
Governor Obaseki added: “We are warning the suspended national chairman that if he continues with his activities in the state, I will show him that I am the governor of the state. When he was governor, he would not tolerate the misbehavior he is exhibiting today.
“I have decided that if Oshiomhole comes to our state to disrupt activities of the state and party, we will deal with him. He stands suspended and in due course, we will take appropriate action to expel him if he doesn’t behave well.”
He also accused Oshiomhole of not supporting the APC while he was governor of the state.
“If there was any regret, it would be the elevation of Oshiomhole to the position of national chairman. My predecessor did not build the party in the state. With all the resources he had, he could not support the party.
“How can we be in power for 10 years in the state and do not have our own party building. As I speak, we are looking for our own land so that we will build our secretariat.
“I have authorised you to deal with anybody who wants to do anything contrary to the APC constitution. We will not allow destructive elements destroy our party.
“The president has urged us to build the party from the base; so, anyone who cannot comply with the party structure should leave the party,” he noted.
Also speaking, the state Chairman of the APC, Barr. Anselm Ojezua, said Obaseki remains the people’s choice in the Edo 2020 governorship election.
Ojezua commended the governor and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu for supporting the party in terms of resources and spending time with members, noting that the gesture was unprecedented.
When contacted, Simon Ebegbulem, the Chief Press Secretary to Comrade Oshiomhole is yet to reply to message sent to his mobile lines.
