The Media Director of the Edo APC Campaign Council, Kassim Afegbua has alleged that the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki had perpetuated a “divide and rule” strategy in creating conflicts with various stakeholders in the state. He listed several individuals and groups with whom Obaseki is at loggerheads with, including the Oba of Benin, Philip Shaibu, Oshiomhole, Dan Orbih, and the legacy PDP members who supported his entrance into the party and campaigned for his victory in 2020.
He argued that Obaseki’s failure to build relationships with key factors in the state’s political landscape might ultimately lead to downfall of the PDP in the state. He stated that the governor alienating himself from those who helped him achieve power has caused a lot of bad blood in Edo State politics. According to him, Obaseki’s leadership style prioritizes personal aggrandizement over collaboration and inclusivity.
He said in an interview with AIT From 11:57, ”The governor of the state has succeeded substantially to plant a divide and rule in Edo State. And I say this with all due sense of responsibility, I can tell you that the governor is quarrelling with literally everybody in the state. Obaseki is quarrelling with the Oba of Benin, he is quarrelling with Philip Shaibu and Oshiomhole. He quarreled with Dan Orbih who masterminded his entrance into the PDP and also campaigned for him to become victorious in 2020.
The legacy PDP who are the aborigines of Edo State politics have always been compact in such a manner that when this governor came to them, he used their influence to retain his seat. But unfortunately he usurped all the powers that existed and said he’s the Supreme Leader of the party. And so when you have a governor who cannot connect the dots on how to build relationship among all the factors of production in the state with respect to politics, you are going to have people pulling out of the party at the appropriate time to punish him at the polls.”….Vìêw–Morê