FREEPRESS – Once upon a time, a Comrade passed through here; a state now considered as a growing one from the hitherto mundane leadership initially offered by the PDP where Anenih, Ikhimi and the Igbinedions held sway.
Once upon a time, the forces of retrogression was uprooted from Edo and by a fist of steel, Oshiomhole brought in a successor and the unfolding history continue.
We had thought this state will be destroyed if Obaseki was forced on the Edos, but Oshiomhole took opponents to the cleaners and install a successor with capability.
Indeed, this was Oshiomhole’s interest for Edo people; a state that is governed by conscience, experience and expertise. God bless Oshiomhole for providing us with Obaseki, we love him.
No one can actually point to where the relationship between Oshiomhole and Obaseki got sour, but I must assure you that meddling interlopers posing as lovers and cronies of either of them have continued to offer advise of grave consequence.
Don’t be deceived by the many stories of no rift between the duo. Oshiomhole’s silence is a glaring pointer. He never disclosed his successor until December, 2015. He relies on some infallible principles of power.
Obaseki knows this. So, he has gone to resurrect the almost buried interest of Oshiomhole’s arch rivals; Igbinedion, Ikhimi and he’s yet to get a reliable one from Edo North, probably depending on his Deputy, Shuaibu.
The calculation is simple. If Oshiomhole makes the move of replacing Obaseki in the APC primary, the Governor will move to a willing PDP, and according to his talisman, he will win because he has won the love of Edo people. That will be a big experiment in Edo political history.
Oshiomhole is dangerous, Obaseki must be told. He’s more like a god or demon. He’s fierce and consuming. He’s widely acclaimed to possess an extraordinary negotiation skills, and could break Obaseki’s inner cycle to pieces over night. Obaseki has no true follower, they are all lamenting behind.
The story of his tight fist particularly with Edo politicians, his unchecked derogatory statements against those who enthroned him, demonization of indigenes who seek contract and other sundry opportunities from government while treating Lagos imports as first class may form a major part of his undoing.
Can the assemblage of political retirees and the Lagos imports become a formidable structure to deal with a menacing Oshiomhole? Or is Obaseki relying on some pretentious leaders he has so debased? I guess it will be his undoing to trust in his current power cycle because Oshiomhole may consider his successor from within.
Obaseki must quickly move to mend fence with his leader and shun those crap of “don’t worry we are behind you.” They failed him in the Presidential and National Assembly elections, they will always fail him. I must announce that heaven won’t fall if Obaseki is denied APC ticket. He will loss out like Ambode. Oshiomhole will mess him up. Edo is Lagos don’t be deceived.
If you doubt this assertion, then find out where Joan Oviawe, Crusoe Osagie, Tijani Nwadei, Ukinebo Daire and others vote. Can they ever win their immediate units if they possess voter’s card in Edo?
Like every Edo residents with good conscience, it is our wish that Godwin Obaseki continue in office beyond 2020, but he must not be adamant to corrections. He must not become proud and arrogant. He must maintain composure to do the needful because, unlike Akinwumi Ambode, we don’t want him to be wiser later but now now.
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