Governors Fighting Oshiomhole Have So-called 2023 Ambition – Reps Member
Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education has said that the governors’ attack on National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole has absolutely nothing to do with the leadership of the party but heir so-called strategic positioning for 2023.
Ihonvbere, who was also the Secretary to the Edo State Government for eight years under Oshiomhole. stated this in an interview with The Nation.
The lawmaker representing Owan Constituency, who gave an insight into the move by some APC governors scheming to oust Oshimhole, said the former Edo Governor has tried to reposition the ruling party.
“We all know where the party was before he became the national chairman. If he had not become the national chairman, we would have had problems during the 2019 presidential election.
“In repositioning the party, many people who were benefiting from the old order must complain, must disparage your achievement and refuse deliberately to acknowledge your achievements even when they are glaring.
“So, for me, those governors’ attack on Oshiomhole has absolutely nothing to do with the leadership of the party. It has more to do with their so-called strategic positioning for 2023.”
He further explained that those allegedly involved in the plan are those who want to come back for a second term are looking for somebody who will be a rubber stamp.
“Secondly, those governors who are on their second term and want to gun for the presidency are those who, for ideological reasons do not want to understand the essential ingredients of democratic struggles, because that is not the way we have always operated.
“People just operate on the basis of politics, raw power, use it to govern and it to accumulate. Many of them are doing the party more harm than good.
“They are wasting money to fight the national chairman. Some of them, who said they will not give money to their constituents, are now using it to move people from one place to the other, holding nocturnal meetings all in the bid of get rid of Oshiomhole.”
He, however, noted that ing is that the majority of the governors including the state chairmen are with him and a majority of the party members appreciate the hard work he has put into rebuilding the party.
“The fight is all about personal interest, personal ambition, strategic positioning, especially those who are looking at the 2023 presidency even when we are just in 2019 and President Buhari just got his 2020 budget approved by the National Assembly.
“Only God knows who will be alive to run for the presidency or whatever position in 2023. There is a governor who has bragged that Oshiomhole will not be there for his primary.
“I am sure God will not answer that kind of prayer. All these are not about Oshiomhole as a chairman. It has to do with the ambitions, expectations, anticipation of those who have political interest for 2023.’
He further alleged that Oshiomhole successor, Governor Godwin Obaseki is the ring leader of those planning to remove him.
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“In fact, he is the ring leader who has concocted all kinds of lies, to try and convince people that the national chairman is bad.
“In that case, it is not driven by political understanding; it is not driven by ideology. It is not driven by any philosophy; it is not driven by any track record of his involvement in any democratic struggle.
“It is not driven by any desire to reposition the party for greatness; it is driven by what I will call concocted importance in the political terrain and his own personal ambition which he has used his own hand to denigrate and derogate.
“So, I am not surprised he is involved in all these. When you dance into the enclave of the devil, you have to look for all kinds of strategies to try and deceive the devil not to regard you as a willing member. So, it is political desperation.”
He further denied the claim of the governor that Oshimhole was trying to play godfatherism in Edo politics.
“I know for sure that the strategic direction of the government was not influenced at all by Oshiomhole because I organised over 35 workshops, seminars on each ministry, each agency, brought in experts to reposition the ministries.
“I was chairman of the Strategic Planning Committee and we drew up the programmes for all the commissioners and in all of these, I never had one conversation with Oshiomhole on what we should do.
“So, the whole idea that he is playing godfather is arrant nonsense and lies from the pit of hell. They are only doing that wickedly to rubbish the name of the man that made him governor.” .
