Edo APC Crisis: Plot to Impeach Oshiomhole Exposed

Governor Adams Oshiomhole

By Adibe Emenyonu

The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State got messier yesterday with an alleged plot to impeach Governor Adams Oshiomhole, his deputy, Hon. Pius Odubu and the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Uyi Igbe.

The impeachment plot, THISDAY gathered was masterminded by members of the APC that recently defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) including their lawmakers and few leaders of the party in the state.

THISDAY learnt that the lawmakers were expected to execute the plot having allegedly received N30million each while N20million would be added after they have succeeded.

The plot, it was further learnt, was hatched to give the PDP the opportunity to win majority in the state assembly and National Assembly elections come 2015.

If the impeachment plot had succeeded, one of the lawmakers who recently defected to the PDP would have transformmed from speaker to governor.

Although the recent defection of four APC lawmakers to the PDP still place a minority status on it with eight seats against the APC 16, THISDAY reliably gathered that there are strong moves to induce more lawmakers to back the plot.

Reacting to the allegation, the Majority Leader of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Philip Shaibu, said: “We are aware of their plots but they will fail. My joy is that we have lawmakers here who believe strongly in the developmental strides of the c omrade governor so they cannot be part of such plot to impeach the governor.

“We are very much aware of all the moves they are making to destabilise the state, to ensure that the comrade governor does not continue his developmental efforts but they are wasting their time. The problem with some people is that they now think like God, they act like God but what they fail to understand is that when the majority of the masses are with the comrade governor, God will always protect him and his administration.

“I know that we have a speaker that believes in development, that believes in the rule of law and above all, he believes that the people of the state that we represent must take precedence before our own personal interests. So any plot to impeach the speaker or the governor or his deputy will not succeed as long as the God we serve lives.

“My message to such people is that they should know that nobody has monopoly of anything. Only a few cabal who never wanted anything good for the people of Edo State are masterminding this evil plot. The people of the state will never allow charlatans take over the state and I can tell you some of us, including majority of my colleagues in the assembly, who believe that the state is working can lay down our lives to protect the integrity of the assembly and protect democracy in Edo State,” he declared.