The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Campaign Council for Edo state governorship election has said Bola Tinubu’s bitterness with Governor Godwin Obaseki was as a result of what it called the recent failed “coup” at the Edo State House of Assembly.
The PDP campaign council said the whining by the All Progressives Congress, APC national leader “has further validated allegations that the horrendous attempt to seize the Edo legislature has the fingers of the APC leadership for their personal reasons”.
It would be recalled that the former Lagos state governor described Obaseki as a dictator following the controversy that engulfed the Assembly earlier in the week which culminated in the swearing in of some member-elects outside the council chamber.
In a statement signed by the secretary, publicity sub-committee of the council, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said Tinubu’s anger also stemmed from Obaseki’s resolve to be his own man.
“Our campaign notes that Asiwaju’s position also confirms allegations that some people in the APC are bitter with Governor Godwin Obaseki because he (Obaseki) refused to allow the APC cabal to have access to Edo treasury as well as his refusal to foist illegal levies and taxes on the people.
“Our campaign stands with the people of Edo state and Governor Obaseki in their firm decision not to allow certain APC interests to impose and collect suppressive levies and taxes from house owners, school proprietors, hotel owners, taxi drivers, okada riders, market women as well as artisans who are struggling to make a living in Edo State.
“The APC cabal is distraught because Governor Obaseki will never compromise or mortgage the welfare and wellbeing of the people of Edo state, hence their desperate attempt to foist their stooge on the state.
“It is however imperative for leaders like Asiwaju not to allow himself to be dragged into putting personal and group pecuniary and political interests over and above the collective interest and wellbeing of the people of Edo state.
“It may however interest Asiwaju to note that Nigerians have been waiting for a patriotic statement from him that would address the humongous corruption in this administration particularly in Federal Inland Revenue Service FIRS, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, North East Development Commission, NEDC, and the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, among others.
“Nigerians further expected Asiwaju, as a legislator, to counsel the deserters in Edo state, who abandoned their seats for more than 180 days, and in the process lost their seats, to wait for the ruling of the court or prepare for a bye-election to prove their acceptance by the people.
“We wonder if Asiwaju, as a Senator, abandoned his seat at the parliament for 180 days. Of course, he did not, because he is aware of the implications.
“Our campaign therefore counsels Asiwaju and indeed other APC leaders to desist from any attempts that would colour illegality because of personal interests,” the statement reads in part.
(Vanguard)
