Former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has boldly claimed that Governor Godwin Obaseki is "politically dead" following his party's victory in the September 21 Edo governorship election. Oshiomhole made the statement during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Monday night.
When asked if he was concerned about the reactions to the declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate as the winner, Oshiomhole dismissed any worry. He referred to comments made by the acting chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) about defending votes with blood, suggesting that Edo people would not shed blood for any politician.
“We subscribe to former President Jonathan’s principle that no election, not even for the president, is worth the blood of any Nigerian,” Oshiomhole said. “Meanwhile, the acting PDP chairman is talking about bloodbath during elections.”
Oshiomhole went on to criticize Obaseki, citing the governor’s own words during an earlier interview where Obaseki said the election would be a "do-or-die" affair. “I watched Obaseki on Channels TV insisting it was do-or-die. He said if they [the people] did it, then they’d be dead. Well, the people have done it. I guess now he is politically dead.”
Oshiomhole also praised the governor-elect, Monday Okpebholo, who was previously elected as a senator and has now been declared the winner of the governorship race. He noted that the people of Edo chose Okpebholo over Obaseki, adding, “They understand that a man can speak like the King of England, but if he can’t build classrooms and their children are sitting on the floor, what’s the value of his eloquence?”
Oshiomhole also defended Okpebholo’s absence from interviews, stating that it was not an issue.
