Edo APC Crisis: Owan West stakeholders deny endorsing Obaseki

Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja

The leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Owan West council area of Edo State has denied media reports of their endorsement of the state governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki.

Eleven ward chairmen, who spoke through their coordinating Ward 3 chairman, Hon Raymond Osumah, said there was no time the APC leadership in the council area held a meeting to issue the said endorsement of the governor for second term.

Osumah said it was rather unfortunate that the council chairman, Hon Frank Ilaboya, “deceived some of the ward chairmen to a meeting” in his office at the council secretariat, where issues relating to unsettled stipends for three months were discussed.

He said they were later surprised to read on social media as posted by the council chairman’s media aide that they were in the council to endorse Governor Godwin Obaseki for second term.

“We want to make it clear that, nothing like that happened. The council chairman is being mischievous. We believe he is afraid of being suspended by Obaseki because, rumour has it that any local government council chairman that fails to support his second term bid will be suspended.

“Anyways, has the governor told us that he need second term? What has the Governor done for us in Owan west?, that our honourable members we voted are home because of the governor’s attitude to have it all. Or will Frank Ilaboya tell us if he was sworn in as council chairman in the midnight?.

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“My brother, what we are demanding from Mr Governor is to obey the directives of the National Working Committee of APC and National Assembly. APC leadership in Owan West are strongly with the National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. Nothing more.

Meanwhile, reacting to the allegation of deceiving ward chairmen into endorsing Governor Obaseki, the chairman of Owan West council area, Hon. Frank Ilaboya, said his support for Governor Obaseki and his second term bid is unshaken.

He said it was not true that he deceived the ward chairmen, adding that as leader of the council area, he did not need anybody’s permission to share his conviction with people he considers to be stakeholders of the council area.