Tony Osauzo, Benin
Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, said yesterday that those that were bent on destroying the Edo State chapter of the party, have been “smoked out”.
Addressing party faithful and supporters at a welcome home rally at Iyamho in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state, the former governor of the state said in their absence, the party remain stronger and better and ready for the September 19 governorship election.
He said the incubent governor, Mr Mr Godwin Obaseki, used every obnoxious means, including destruction of properties and unwarranted arrest of members, to destroy the party in the state.
The Governor, Oshiomhole added,  “was demolishing the houses of our members while some were being jailed for trump up charges; these are the people who fought for him to become governor.
“I told those who were being persecuted to take it easy, that they shouldn’t burn the house we all laboured to build because they want to smoke out the snake. But now, the snake has been smoked out of the house.
“Few weeks earlier, the snake said APC was his house and that he was not leaving, but less than 72 hours after saying this, he left.
“If we had burnt the house because the snake was giving us problem, we will all have been homeless by now”, he said.
He told the crowd that he was better now, stressing that his immediate task now is to ensure victory f or the party on September 19.
“I have come home for only one project, am not going back to Abuja until the project is completed.
“I came back home not to rest, but to work. We are political lion, we must commit ourselves to returning Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu to Osadebe Avenue.
“The man (Ize-Iyamu) that is coming is not a stranger. He campaigned for me in 2012 and I won all the 18 local government areas of Edo Edo State. He knows the roots unlike the current governor who just became governor and does not know the efforts people made to make him governor. We will kick out this MoU governor and replace him with a pastor who will sweep out the Coronavirus party by the grace of God”, the former APC National stated.
He said the campaign would be easy because there are visible projects the APC would use to campaign, unlike the incumbent who has been busy signing MOUS, urging the people to judge the present government with what they see and not what they hear.
“There have been no tangible development since we left government, all they have to show for almost four years are MOUs and earmark projects while we had eyemark projects.
“This was how they brought the respected Vice President to Benin to ground breaking for an industrial park that we will never see. Same also goes to that of Gelegele Port”‎, he said.
Oshomhole used the occasion to apologize to Edo people for bringing the governor even when many advised him against it, admitting that as human, he made a mistake.