With the unfolding drama surrounding the Edo State House of Assembly, there are clear indications that Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state may be impeached within the next few weeks. And there are facts to that effect.
The embattled erstwhile national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, who said he never loses any battle he goes into, is heavily set to end the political career and the governorship ambition of the sitting governor. True to it, Oshiomhole is hell bent on ensuring his ambition is achieved, not minding how much he throws in and whose ox is gored.
Obaseki has been getting upperhand from the beginning of the political warfare between the two warlords. He has been humiliating the former governor over and over again. But starting from the events of Thursday, August 6, 2020 where the 17 members loyal to the former governor, attempted breaking into the state house of assembly and inaugurating themselves, though failed, it is becoming obvious that Oshiomhole is not leaving any stone unturned to see that Obaseki is thrown out of government house and possibly lose the September 19 election in the state.
Although the 17 members loyal to the sacked national chairman were said to have taken oath of office, reportedly in the house of the APC guber candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, authorities of the federal government, as reports say, have started giving them recognition, undermining the fact that their oath of office was taken in an illegal environment against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Reports say the Edo state police commissioner has given a nod to their emergence, assuring of being with them. Also, further reports reveal that the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federal, Abubakar Malami, has allegedly directed the Inspector General of Police to provide protection for the 17 state house of assembly members who swore themselves into office. That is indicating acceptance by the federal government of Nigeria.
Our newsroom also learnt that the new members have purportedly impeached the Speaker, who has been on the part of Obaseki, Frank Okiye and sworn in a speaker selected by themselves and is being accepted already by the government of Nigeria. This is posing a grave danger for Governor Godwin Obaseki and his re-election in the September 19 election.
Ordinarily, one can easily tell the next move of the 17 lawmakers in the next couple of days. The new Speaker has reportedly blocked access to all the accounts of the state assembly. His aim might not be far from blocking the other factional Speaker from gaining access to the house accounts. There is likely going to be war between the two Speakers. But this may not be because the roof of the House of Assembly has been pulled down, giving no opportunity for any one to gain access for any sitting whether legal or illegal.
Now that the new members are already being accepted by the Nigerian government following the call of the nation’s attorney general for the IGP to provide police security for them, the next move may likely be impeachment of the governor, Godwin Obaseki. This will likely lead to more battles, and Adams Oshiomhole will be more ready for it. As it is now, Obaseki must quickly put his thinking cap together with his deputy and the PDP leaders both in the state and national, to wriggle himself out of the heavy war awaiting him.
The PDP governors in the South South, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state, Nyesom Wike of Rivers state, Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom and others in the North and East must come to his aid so as to strategise and rescue their brother from the troubles lurking around him at the moment. I wonder how much sleep he gets these days because there is fire on the mountain.
Oshiomhole is not ready to give up. The battle is getting messier and Oshiomhole is happy for that. He is delighted in seeing the fall of the governor. Then, he feels fulfilled. For now, all eyes are on Edo state as the political landscape is getting more interesting. The battle is not actually between Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu or the new members of the house but between Obaseki and his predecessor. If he is able to conquer and win, then he is a great man. But with the situation surrounding the state and the support the new members are getting from the federal government, it may be a herculean task for Obaseki to succeed.
