LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT REFUNDS 145 FORMER SUBSCRIBERS OF EGAN HOUSING ESTATE
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- ‘He is a dishonourable politician’
A member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Charles Idahosa, has rejoined the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Idahosa, an ally of Governor Godwin Obaseki, resigned his membership of the PDP on April 29.
Idahosa, who described Obaseki as ‘an intoxicant’, said his greatest regret was preventing the governor from resigning, thrice, when he confessed to be tired of governing.
The party chieftain spoke yesterday at his private residence in Benin while issued his membership card by the APC Chairman in Uhunmwonde Local Government Area, Osayemwenre Osawe.
The ceremony was witnessed by former Deputy Governor Pius Odubu; National Women Leader Dr. Mary Alile, and her husband Pius Alile, among others.
Idahosa joined Obaseki and others to join the PDP from APC on June 19, 2020, ahead of the September 19, 2020 governorship election. He hoped that the APC governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, would emerge victorious on September 21, which happens to be his 72nd birthday. He however urged APC members to be united and keep their eyes on the ball.
According to Idahosa, the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, cannot get 80 per cent of the votes, as boasted by Obaseki, but ‘Okpebholo would succeed the governor on November 12’. He said: “Four years ago, there was grumbling in APC family and some of us left I thank God that four years later, we all are wiser now. The damage we did four years ago, the APC never remained the same.
“I am glad we are back to the family. I was nominated to the Board of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) when I was in the APC. When I moved to the PDP, I wrote to resign my membership, but it was rejected, which showed my wide acceptance.
“It is not over, until it is over. This is not time for division in the APC. We will return Edo State to APC, through the September 21, 2024 governorship election.” Idahosa also berated Governor Obaseki for his recent comments that members leaving PDP were given money to defect. He said the greatest tragedy that could befall APC and Edo State would be to allow Obaseki to win again, through Ighodalo.
“When Obaseki came to beg me, how much did he give to me? Anytime he went to religious gatherings, he would say those leaving PDP were given money. The greatest regret I have is not allowing Obaseki to resign after his first four years in office, which he tried to do three times.
“Obaseki came to me three times that he was tired of being governor and wanted to resign. But I pleaded with him on the three occasions, telling him it was not about him, but the interest of Benin Kingdom. Obaseki is suffering from delusion of grandeur by saying that PDP would win 80 per cent of the votes on September 21. Where will he get the votes?”
But Commissioner for Communication and Orientation Chris Nehikhare described Idahosa as ‘a dishonourable politician, who should not be taken seriously’.
“Idahosa believes in bread-and-butter politics, and no longer has anything to offer PDP. He needs oxygen from Abuja to breathe, which he hopes to get from the Federal Government,” Nehikhare added.
