Edo2024: Oshiomhole lists Obaseki’s failures and reasons for his defeat

Our reporter

Former Edo State Governor and current Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, has strongly criticised the administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki, labeling it a failure in a scathing interview on ARISE NEWS.

Oshiomhole, who played a key role in the political landscape of Edo, did not hold back in his critique, claiming that Obaseki’s eight years in office left no credible legacy to support the candidacy of the governor’s endorsed candidate in the recent gubernatorial election.

During the interview, Oshiomhole questioned Obaseki’s influence on the electorate, asserting that the governor had lost significant political capital due to strained relationships with key supporters.

He noted that Obaseki had become politically isolated, which contributed to his inability to sway voters in favour of his preferred successor.

“God knows that Obaseki misgoverned the State, he defrauded the people, he jailed innocent women, and did terrible things that no leader with the fear of God would do,” Oshiomhole stated.

“He was always quick to declare himself the Chief Security Officer, forgetting that the real power belongs to the people who entrusted him to do good by them.”

Oshiomhole further accused Obaseki of using his position to intimidate and threaten his opponents rather than delivering on his promises.

According to him, Obaseki’s abrasive leadership style, which included conflicts with various political figures and traditional rulers, isolated him from his constituents and key political players.

“Crushing people became a way of life for him,” Oshiomhole added, “but now, he has been consigned to the dustbin of political history.”

Despite their personal friendship, Oshiomhole did not mince words when evaluating Obaseki’s time as governor. “As a person, he is my friend, but as governor, he was a failure,” he said bluntly.

Oshiomhole also reflected on Obaseki’s earlier electoral successes, noting that his political rise was largely due to the support he received from influential figures like himself and former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

He compared Obaseki to a “proverbial blind man” who, in both the 2016 and 2020 elections, relied heavily on the backing of others to cross political hurdles.

However, Oshiomhole argued that by 2024, Obaseki had “burned all his bridges,” leaving him politically stranded without the necessary support to secure victory.

In a final blow, Oshiomhole stated, “Edo people have done it, and he is politically dead,” referring to the outcome of the election, which saw Obaseki and his chosen successor defeated.