By Daniel Kanu
The governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and the leadership of the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were at each other’s throat on Monday following the inability of Obaseki to attend a meeting with his colleagues from the zone on Sunday.
Five out of the six South-south governors met in Abuja on Sunday where they kicked against the arraignment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, who hails from Cross River State, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on corruption charges.
Chief Dan Orbih, Edo State PDP chairman, said Obaseki’s decision to boycott the meeting exposed his political naivety.
But the governor said he didn’t attend the Abuja meeting because it was a PDP governors’ meeting rather than South-south governors meeting since the five governors that attended are all members of the PDP.
But Orbih said the governor’s non-attendance to the meeting where “the brave and courageous governors of the south-south met to deliberate on the illegal arraignment, persecution, molestation and brutal intimidation of one of its illustrious sons, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen,” was unfortunate.
“It is unfortunate that Governor Obaseki would rather play politics than take sides with the people of his region in the fight against oppression and tyranny. His decision to shun the meeting has further exposed his political naivety and lack of political sagacity.
“Governor Obaseki should know that as a region, we have been deprived of resources due us as well as infrastructural and human development. This is the time to identity with your kith and kin and not time to play the political ostrich,” Orbih said in a statement on Monday.
“Edo PDP would like to let the people know that Edo people are fully in support of the decision of the south-south governors and commends them for their courage to fight tyranny, oppression and persecution.
“Governor Obaseki’s absence is not a reflection of the view of the people of Edo State, but a confirmation of his subservience to forces outside the state.
“For emphasis, Edo PDP can confirm that Edo people have condemned this assault on the judiciary and are in total support of the resolution reached by the South-south governors.”A
But the governor in a swift reaction dismissed the allegation insisting that “the Abuja meeting of governors of Delta, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa states, on the corruption trial of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, was a meeting of governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and not a meeting of South-South governors.”
A statement by Crusoe Osagie, his Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, accused Orbih of being “economical with the truth and most uncharitable to the personality” of the governor.
“Chief Orbih should tell Edo people the last time the South-South Governors’ meeting was held, how many times the meeting was held in 2018 and its agenda for 2019.
“Governor Obaseki is committed to the wellbeing of Edo people and our brothers and sisters in our sister South-South states and all Nigerians, and will support any meeting, devoid of political colouration, that genuinely seeks to improve the welfare of people of the south-south region and elsewhere in the country.
“Obaseki will not attend a PDP Governors’ meeting like the one held in Abuja last Sunday, but will attend meetings that are not politically-tainted, and called to proffer time-tested solutions to the developmental challenges faced by the millions of Edo and other people of the south-south region.”