APC national Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole
National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has reacted to comments by the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki and his deputy Philip Shaibu, that he (Oshiomhole) taught them all they are executing today in the state including the fight against godfatherism.
Oshiomhole who reacted in a television programme at the weekend said he never thought them the violence that is being exhibited today in the state as well as losing elections.
“I have always been a winner,” he said.
“I have read several sayings that I thought them all they are doing today. This is laughable because I never thought them how to lose elections. As we speak today, the governor (Obaseki) lost his ward, Local Government and senatorial district in the last Presidential election”.
“As we speak, the governor is being represented by the PDP in his Federal constituency and senatorial district. These in my view were early warning signals about need to change tactics. Stop threatening people, saying you will crush. Who are you crushing”?
“I won my entire senatorial district for Mr President and I am being represented by an APC senator and House of Representatives. Then, his Deputy, Philip, in Jattu where he comes from, in his polling booth where he and his family voted, lost”.
“He lost his booth during his own governorship election in which he was standing as Deputy governorship candidate. So if he learnt from me, he should have learnt well because I never lost election in my village”.
“There is no body in my village who can work against me because when I go home I relate with them, I am an ordinary man. You see when you have power and you don’t use it you are even more powerful. And you must know when to talk tough and when to talk soft. When I am in my village I am just like an ordinary man. I argue and play with my people”.
According to Oshiomhole, the only man that was in the PDP in his village, is now one of his PA’s through persuasion and not force.
Lamenting that Governor Obaseki and his deputy have unleashed mayhem on APC members in Edo State, Oshiomhole stated that even as a professional fighter one must choose their fight.
“It is only Philip and his boss that talks about crushing APC members. If you become a crushing machine and God enable you to crush your people who will you govern assuming you win,” he asked.
“A political party is like a forest, in that forest you have many animals. The politician is the guy who goes into this forest, knowing fully well that all the dangerous animals are there but he is going for the antelope or the grass cutter which he wants to use to feed his family. He goes there gets his antelope or grass cutter home and feast without being crashed. So the minimum requirement of political leadership is to be able to deal with all kinds of characters,” he said.
