Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, may have renewed hostility with the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, by insisting that he wo uld not recognise Frank Okiye as Speaker of the state House of Assembly.
Speaking in Abuja at the weekend, Oshiomhole warned that he will not close his eyes to illegal decisions and actions capable of derailing the nation’s democracy.
He noted that though he has no personal quarrel with Governor Obaseki, he would not, however, support illegality in a bid to please him.
He argued that what the governor would have done was to lobby the entire 24 members of the House (who are all APC members) so as to produce a Speaker of his choice.
He noted that inaugurating the House at 9:30pm with nine members was a rape on the nation’s democracy.
Oshiomhole said Okiye lacked the grounds to suggest that there were plans by him (Oshiomhole) to impeach the governor as he was not the Speaker.
“If there is one man that wants governor Obaseki to succeed so that everything I said on his behalf comes to pass, I think it will be me. I have absolutely nothing to gain if someone I told the people will do well ends up not doing well or I make statements that contradicts my earlier position, because all I have that I brought to this job called politics is integrity.
“And integrity is about being consistent and sometimes being predictable. So, Godwin (Gov. Obaseki) knows that I have no quarrel whatsoever with him, but I do not think that it is right to inaugurate the House of Assembly at night.”