APC: Oshiomole Breaks Silence, Blames Media For His Rift With Obaseki

The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, has blamed the media for creating friction between him and Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State.

Arising from a meeting with Obaseki at Oshiomhole’s Iyamoh residence in the Estako West Local Government Area of the state, which lasted late into Monday night, Oshiomhole said the rift between him and the governor was the creation of people with personal interests, while he described Obaseki as his brother.

Speaking to journalists after the closed-door meeting, which lasted for about an hour, Oshiomhole said the meeting was not unusual as he was in constant touch with Obaseki.

The APC chairman said, “It is not an unusual visit; the meeting afforded me the opportunity to meet with my brother and with people I have worked with.”

Obaseki also noted that the visit was to celebrate the Islamic holiday with his former boss.

“There is nothing unusual about this meeting; we decided to come here to celebrate Sallah with my predecessor,” the governor said.

He added that people who thought there was a rift between him and his predecessor should “stop thinking.”

Meanwhile, the APC in the Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State on Monday insisted that Mike Ezomo had not abandoned  his  fight to ensure that Obaseki obeyed the National Assembly’s instruction to issue a fresh proclamation  for the inauguration of the House of Assembly.

Ezomo, who  was not  part of the inauguration,  will represent Owan West in  the  Assembly.

At an emergency meeting of the  party in Sabongida Ora on Monday,  the APC  leaders and  ward chairmen  in Owan West LGA  passed a vote of confidence in Ezomo.

Speaking on behalf of the leaders,   Epkenga Lewis told Obaseki to obey the National  Assembly’s directives to issue a fresh proclamation for the inauguration of the Assembly.

Lewis said, “We cannot be part of any illegality as witnessed by the midnight inauguration  by the state government.”

Also, the Edo Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited will soon commence operation before the end of the year.

Obaseki’s Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, in a statement, said the fabrication of a 6,000-barrel-per-day modular refinery had been completed and would be inspected by officials of the Department of Petroleum Resources before it would be shipped to Nigeria.