A former National Vice Chairman of the defunct All Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Prince Austin Eweka has declared that no Abuja leader can remove Hon Frank Okiye as Speaker of the newly inaugurated 7th Edo State House of Assembly.
Eweka said the era of one person sitting somewhere to dictate to others was over in the Edo chapter of the All Progressives Congress(APC).
Speaking to newsmen in Bénin City, Eweka said the commitment reached at a rally organised by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in which godfatherism was banished in Edo State stands.
He stated that Comrade Oshiomhole has not informed Edo APC leaders about any quarrel or problem with Governor Godwin Obaseki.
He declared the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress(APC) has no moral justification to question what Governor Obaseki is doing because he (Oshiomhole) was given maximum support to govern for eight years. He said Edo South APC leaders would soon meet to fashion a way out of the current crisis in the Edo State House of Assembly. Eweka accused Oshiomhole of destroying the APC leadership structure ‘because he wanted to be the only leader in Edo State.’
He said they would take immediate steps to ensure what happened in Zamfara, and Rivers State do not happen in Edo.
According to him: “It is as a result of the breakdown in party leadership that we are having this man-made crisis. What we did for him when he was Governor is that he will sit down with us and told us about his preferred people in the House of Assembly. We will call the lawmakers and told them who to elect. Nobody questioned him
“We will not force anybody to resume at the Assembly. We will advise these young men that there are leaders at their constituencies and that those leaders are capable of resolving whatever crisis. It is a simple matter. Oshiomhole enjoyed it when he was Governor.
“The people of Edo South will decide for themselves. The House has been constituted,Obaseki will run his full term and nothing will stop him. We will support him.
“Oshiomhole has not come to any leadership meeting in Edo to say he has a problem with Obaseki. I do not see why there would be a problem. “If there are problem, perhaps when one of them is over stepping his bounds. Perhaps trying to dictate or tell a sitting Governor to turn left of turn right. “Oshiomhole did not tell us about any problem. We have other former governors in the party in Edo. I have not heard any of them has problem and Oshiomhole will not be different.
“I want to believe Oshiomhole knows the rules of the game. He has finished his tenure successfully and moved on to become National Chairman. He should face his job and do it successfully so that the man in charge now can do his job and fulfill his promises to Edo people. “It is when you are trying to impose your will and of course you know the Governor is not a baby. He knows his rights even though he may not be politically strong. ”He knows he has responsibility to Edo people not to one person. We are happy with him. We will protect and defend Obaseki regardless of what anybody is saying. When the time comes, the Benins will come out strong.
