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Edo APC: Crisis threatens Oshiomhole’s battle against estranged Godson, Obaseki

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Adams Oshiomhole, the leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Edo State, is poised to confront his former godson, Godwin Obaseki, in the struggle for the control of the state’s political machinery.

However, the unfolding drama surrounding the primary election in the state may thwart Mr Oshiomhole’s plans in the latest supremacy battle with Obaseki.

Recall that the APC held a primary election to select the APC governorship candidate for the September election.

However, the primary has produced three candidates as different groups declared separate candidates – namely, Dennis Idahosa, Anamero Dekeri, and Monday Okpebholo.

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Oshiomhole, who was outmaneuvered during the 2020 governorship election by Obaseki, endorsed Idahosa for the governorship ticket, with the support of the party’s national leadership led by Umar Ganduje and the APC governors.

Idahosa, a 43-year-old member of the House of Representatives, representing Ovia South/West-Ovia North/East Federal Constituency, is believed to have the backing of his former colleague in the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, the powerful Chief of Staff to the President.

Oshiomhole chose Idahosa because he is from Edo South, the senatorial district with the highest voting population in the state, despite the agitation for a power shift to Edo Central.

Idahosa hails from the same senatorial district as the incumbent governor, who is set to complete his eight-year tenure in office.

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Many within the state believe that Edo South holds 60 percent of the total votes in the state, although this claim has faced challenges.

There are indications that Obaseki is supporting the former managing director of Sterling Bank, Asue Ighodalo, from Edo Central Senatorial District.

Oshiomhole is gearing up for a showdown of Edo South versus Edo Central to regain control of the state.

But the emergence of Okpebholo through a parallel primary has changed the dynamics of the permutation.

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The candidate, who represents Edo Central Senatorial District, is basing his aspiration on “equity and fairness” because his district is yet to produce a governor since the brief stint of Oserheimen Osunbor from 2007-2008.

Insiders within the camp of the senator told DAILY POST that several meetings were held with other aspirants in the race on the “Edo Central” agenda, with the agenda gaining the support of Ize-Iyamu.

“Senator had a meeting with Ize-Iyamu and was able to convince him on the principle of the rotation of power and the need for a shift to Edo Central to get the opportunity,” Rafat Abdulkareem, one of the associates of Okpebholo, stated.

She said many of the old associates of Oshiomhole also backed the candidacy of the Edo Central lawmaker because they are concerned about the possibility of Edo South having 16 years in power.

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Facing a Rivers Experience
Aside from the political permutations, the party may experience a situation similar to the 2019 Rivers State, where the APC was banned from presenting candidates for any election following post-primary election litigation.

Anticipating a situation like Rivers, the National Working Committee of the party invalidated the pronouncement of Idahosa as the candidate and also removed Governor Hope Uzodinma as the chairman of the primary election Committee.

Insiders told DAILY POST that the party was trying to prevent the occurrence of situations like Rivers and Zamfara states with the series of actions taken so far.

It was learnt that Oshiomhole still sees Idahosa as the only pathway to winning the governorship election because Edo Central has very few votes.

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The former governor is banking on using Idahosa to deliver Edo South to complement the votes from Edo North, a stronghold of the APC.

While the NWC was meeting, Oshiomhole met with President Bola Tinubu, and after the meeting, he told journalists that the president did not insist on rotation, using Kogi and Benue as examples.

Today, Thursday, the party will be concluding the primary, and the outcome may decide if it’s going to be a proxy war between Oshiomole and Obaseki.

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Edo 2024: My unforgivable sin that made Oshiomole my permanent enemy-Obaseki

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Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Friday, disclosed the unforgivable sin that made Senator Adams Oshiomole his permanent enemy.

He revealed that his declaration of state burial for the late Chief Tony Anenih, a top chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a highly revered elder statesman, during his first term as an All Progressives Congress (APC) governor, was the unforgivable sin he committed against the Senator and for which he refused to forgive him.

Obaseki made this assertion at the ongoing PDP campaign rally held at Opujie Primary School, Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area where Chief Anenih came from.

He said “When Chief Anenih died, I was not in PDP, but I declared a state burial for him because of his contributions to our dear state and Nigeria. This was one of the things that created issues between me and Oshiomhole who never wanted it. He considered it an unforgivable sin which he could not overlook. But I have to do what is good. We are all one. Edo State is one.

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“And that is why I am here today. For Edo to be one and united, I have to support Esan man for governor. And not just Esan man but a capable, competent, intellectually sound with good track record in the person of Asue Ighodalo.

“The candidate the APC brought was a Benin man and that the APC never believed in an Esan governorship agenda or an Esan man becoming governor until it dawned on them so they hurriedly packaged one through the back door.”

He declared that the need to move Edo forward requires a candidate like Asue Ighodalo.

“The PDP candidate is more experienced and competent to take Edo to the next level and so I urge you all to come out en-masse and vote on September 21 and elect him as the next governor by voting for the PDP,” he said.

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In his address, Ighodalo thanked the people, saying “Uromi is a great place with great people. It is the pride of Esanland.”
He promised to complete all ongoing projects in Esanland I will complete all on and create more. “We will complete all ongoing projects in Esan North East and across all Esanland. Be it water, roads, hospitals, schools or anything, we will complete them and create new ones.

“Edo will be self sufficient under my administration and become a state other states will come to. With us Edo will not suffer poverty.

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NNPP dissolves five state excos, sets up caretaker panels

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The National Working Committee of the New Nigeria People’s Party, on Thursday, announced the dissolution of the executive committees of five state chapters of the party.

The affected states are Taraba, Gombe, Benue, Oyo and Bauchi.

This was disclosed in a statement issued in Abuja by the NNPP’s National Publicity Secretary of the party, Ladipo Johnson.

Johnson explained that the move was part of the resolutions reached at the end of an emergency meeting of the NNPP in Abuja on Thursday.

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According to him, the party made the decision with the ultimate aim of repositioning and revitalising its membership strength in the affected states.

The spokesman also noted that the dissolved state executives would be replaced with caretaker committees in line with the party constitution.

He said, “By the virtue of Articles 14.2.1 (iv, v) and 15.2.1 (xvi) of the party’s constitution as amended on the 6th April 2024, the National Working Committee of the party is cloaked with the powers and has on this day, 5th September 2024, dissolved the entire executive structures from the state down toward the level of the party in Taraba, Gombe, Benue, Oyo and Bauchi States.

“The dissolved executive committees shall in accordance with the party’s constitution be replaced by caretaker committees, which will be announced in a few days, for the stipulated period.”

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The NNPP also expressed appreciation to the outgoing state executives for their service to the party and urged them to be ready to serve in other capacities in the future.

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2027: Obi appoints Dr. Tanko as Interim National Coordinator of Obidient Movement

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The Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has appointed Dr. Yunusa Tanko as the Interim National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide.

This move which is part of efforts to consolidate the gains made during the 2023 presidential election, where Obi’s candidacy brought the previously obscure LP to national prominence.

The Obidient Movement played a key role in making the LP a household name, with Obi’s candidacy proving to be a formidable force, winning in key areas like Lagos and Abuja.

With ongoing crises within the LP showing no signs of resolution, Obi might be exploring other options, with the movement serving as a strategic platform for better bargaining power. This development follows a series of engagements and consultations aimed at establishing a more structured organization.

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During an X Space meeting, Obi expressed gratitude to the over 165 individuals who submitted ideas and suggestions for the movement’s structure.

He commended the engagement and consultation team for their swift progress in managing the consultation process.

According to Obi, Dr. Tanko’s appointment is a strategic move designed to drive the movement forward, leveraging his expertise and dedication.

He encouraged supporters to continue engaging with the movement, emphasizing the importance of collective effort in building a stronger organization.

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Since its inception, the Obidient Movement has gained significant momentum, with supporters rallying behind Obi’s vision for a better future both within Nigeria and globally.

This appointment marks a significant milestone in the movement’s evolution, transitioning from a grassroots phenomenon to a more structured organization.

In Obi’s words:

“Last week, I held an X Space to announce the start of a series of engagements that will help establish this structure. To drive this process, I set up a team to manage these conversations. This team was tasked with holding a series of consultations and engagements. I want to sincerely thank everyone who showed up at the engagement meeting they recently held. I also want to thank the team for how fast they moved the conversation and the consultation process.

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“The team has provided me with a preliminary report. Last week, they put out a link for the submission of ideas and documents on how we should structure the movement. I want to extend my gratitude to the over 165 people who submitted their ideas and suggestions through the link provided by the Engagement and Consultation Team and those who attended a recent consultation meeting held on Saturday.

“We received a wide range of insights, including ideas on building an inclusive structure with a strong grassroots presence, leveraging technology to optimize our operations and secure our votes, and innovative suggestions for grassroots mobilization. Indeed, we have brilliant minds in our movement, and this was evident in the quality of the ideas we received.

“This is just the beginning. We are committed to ensuring that every member of this movement is heard and included as we build our structure. There will be more consultations at the regional level, and I encourage everyone to participate when called upon.

“Announcing Interim Leadership: Moving forward, it is crucial to have leadership in place to support this building process. After extensive consultations within the movement and reviewing feedback from Obidients through the ideas submitted, there is a consensus that the position of National Coordinator should go to the North. From the nominations submitted by key stakeholders in the movement and shared with the engagement team, Dr. Yunusa Tanko emerged as the most nominated candidate for this role. Given his track record, leadership qualities, and commitment to the movement, I am pleased to announce that Dr. Tanko Yunusa will serve as the Interim National Coordinator as we continue laying the foundation for our movement. I want to clarify that all positions filled at this stage are on an interim basis until our structure is fully developed.”

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