BY AHMED AKANBI
Former Edo State Governor and Senator representing Edo North, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has declared that Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa cannot contest the 2028 governorship election against Governor Monday Okpebholo.
Oshiomhole made the declaration at the All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area at the weekend.
He said the party’s position is clear that Okpebholo must be allowed to seek a second term without internal opposition from his own deputy.
“This governor, by the special grace of God, will be re-elected in 2028 and his deputy cannot challenge him not to seek re-election,” Oshiomhole told the crowd.
According to him, allowing a deputy to run against his principal negates the principles of loyalty and party discipline.
He said Idahosa, as a product of the party’s structure, would not tow the path of disloyalty.
To buttress his point, Oshiomhole cited the protracted political feud between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his then Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, between 1999 and 2007.
He recalled how Atiku opposed Obasanjo’s second term bid after being made vice president, describing the move as an act of betrayal.
“I have never seen where a deputy governor decides to contest election against his governor, whether in Nigeria or in America. But look at what Atiku did. Obasanjo, as a sitting President, made Atiku his vice, but four years later, Atiku said Obasanjo should not do second term,” he said.
Oshiomhole said that act marked the beginning of Atiku’s political misfortunes at presidential polls.
He attributed Atiku’s repeated failures to win the presidency to what he called the curse of disloyalty.
“That is where God placed a curse on him: ‘He shall ever be a candidate but he shall never win. He who betrays his father can never grow to become the head of the house. That’s the character called Atiku,” Oshiomhole said.
He urged APC members in Edo North and the state at large to rally behind Okpebholo’s administration and avoid distractions ahead of 2028.
End
G15, TOP deny crack in ranks, insist on united front for better Kwara
Members of the G15 Political Movement have reaffirmed their unity, insisting there is no crack in their ranks.
In a statement jointly issued with the OTOGE Progressive family (TOP), the group said it remains focused on its common cause of building a better Kwara.
The leaders dismissed reports of internal division, describing them as attempts to sow discord and distract from shared objectives.
They said their commitment is to a Kwara where governance is inclusive, accountable and responsive.
The movement said it wants a state where opportunity is based on merit, not family name or personal connection, and where critical stakeholders are consulted on decisions affecting the people.
“We believe in a Kwara where every citizen has a voice and where no individual, family or narrow interest determines the destiny of our state. The collective interest of Kwara must always take precedence over personal ambition,” the statement said.
The group urged Kwarans to disregard claims of division within the G15 or the wider OTOGE family, stressing that members remain bound by the principles that brought them together.
It described its Rainbow Coalition as a platform to unite diverse interests who share common convictions about the future of Kwara.
According to the group, building a better Kwara is bigger than any individual ambition, and it will continue to engage political stakeholders and aspirants based on their programmes and alignment with its ideals.
It called on citizens to remain vigilant, look beyond rumours and political distractions, and hold public office seekers accountable.
The statement was signed by Senators Ibrahim Oloriegbe, Yisa Oyelola Ashiru, Suleiman Sadiq Umar and Saliu Mustapha, Muhammed Dele Belgore, SAN, Dr. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, Tajudeen Abdulkadir Audu, Mohammed Bio Omar, Tijjani Kayode Ismail, Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki, Ahmed Yinka Aliko, Oluwatoyin Tajudeen Alabi, Azeez Muideen Salako Olaniyi and Capt. Ahmed Mahmud.