Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, has vowed to deal mercilessly with his predecessor in office, Adams Oshiomhole, if he continues to create problems for his government by playing bad and destructive politics.
Obaseki who was re-elected for a second term in office on Saturday said this during an interview on Arise TV on Tuesday.
The governor warned Oshiomhole, former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to conduct himself in a civilised manner or face the wrath of the law, insisting that he would not allow him to continue to fund tigers and lions that will threaten security in Edo State.
“I have no plans (to chase Oshiomhole out) but if he continues to behave the way he has done. If he continues to be destructive, if he continues to fund his lions and tigers in Edo State and if he tries to create problems for us here, then we will not have any mercy. So, it is totally up to him.”
Obaseki who stated that it was not impossible for him to forgive Oshiomhole, however added that the former governor must earn his trust again.
The Edo State helmsman said Oshiomhole and the former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, one of the leaders of the All Progressives Congress, are existential threats to Nigeria’s democracy.
He noted that both men had no position in any party or any constitutionally-recognised public office and yet go about trying to control those who have the backing of the law.
The governor added, “For us, the challenge with people like Oshiomhole and Ahmed Tinubu is that they change their style and attitude, they pose a big danger to our democracy because they are extra-constitutional players.
“They have constituted themselves into what they say they are without any constitutional responsibility and trying to overlord themselves over people who have constitutional authority and if we allow them to continue in the mould they are, it will destroy our democracy and for me, it is straightforward.
“It is not about personal issues but about their role in our democracy. You cannot have people who are elected and guided by the constitution in office and people who don’t have such mandate or authority or any checks on their conduct to come and say they want to control people who have been properly constituted in office.”
When asked to explain further, Obaseki noted that Tinubu claims to be the national leader of the APC even though the party’s constitution has no such position.
He said when people like Tinubu help others to get into public office, they still do not allow them to function properly, thereby endangering democracy.
Tinubu had in a viral broadcast last week called on the people of Edo State to reject Obaseki at the polls.
Many people found the broadcast offensive.
The governor said, “They are non-constitutional actors. There is no role; the role of leader. There is nothing in the constitution of our country or the constitution of that party giving the role of leader. The title leader has no role, no constitutional backing.
“I think titles should be earned out of respect, out of consideration of fact that they have been useful but it does not give them any constitutional role. They cannot sit in the comforts of their houses or wherever and determine who gets into what office and even when those people get into office, how they should conduct themselves. It is very anti-democratic.”
He said he had nothing against business tycoon, Captain Hosa Okunbor, who worked against his re-election.
When asked if he would return to the APC having proved his point by winning election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, Obaseki said it would be wrong to do so.
Obaseki stated, “At this point in time, I have been elected on the platform of a party and I have made promises to the people of Edo State. It is not about me. I won the election on the platform of the PDP and I think it will be immoral and unfair to have any consideration about leaving a platform that gave me the mandate.
“There must be morals in politics. At this point in time, I don’t think it is right to jettison the platform that brought me into power particularly when I have no issues with the party.”