By DADA AYOKHAI
Three former council chairmen from Edo North who defected from the party at the peak of the rift between Gov Obaseki and Comrade Oshiomole in 2020 have staged a comeback.
The returnee council chairmen are Hon. Frank Ilaboya from the Owan West, Hon. Andrew Osigwe from the Owan, East and Hon. Akhigbe Osi from Etsako Central.
The return of the trio is seen as a deft political move to reconcile and rebuild the state ahead of the September Edo guber election.
The Edo State APC was recently a shadow of its old self, particularly after an acrimonious guber primary that left many party members and leaders dissatisfied and disillusioned
The Edo North APC is bent on retaining its grip on the district regarded as its stronghold and may have endorsed the return of the defectors as a way to boost the party’s fortune
The trio made the national headline in 2020 when they, out of loyalty and empathy with Gov Obaseki who was seeking re-election, followed him to join the PDP.
This was at the peak of the political rift between Gov Obaseki and his political godfather, Comrade Oshiomole who despite well-meaning intervention by some national leaders refused to be pacified to allow Obaseki to use the APC platform for his re-election bid
The trio were certainly not alone as they were accompanied by other defectors such as Hon. Josie Ogedengbe, Igueben; Hon. Napoleon Agbama, Uhunmwonde; Hon. Scott Ogbemudia, Ovia North East; Hon. Austin Okoibhole, Esan North East and, Hon. Ruth Osahor, Esan West
A lavish homecoming ceremony was organized for the defectors at the Benin private residence of the state party leader, Sen. Adams Oshiomole.
Among those present was the acting Edo State APC chairman, Hon. Jarret Tenebe as well as the Edo APC guber flag bearer, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, and his running mate, Hon. Benson Idahosa
On behalf of the state APC, Sen Oshiomole welcomed the defectors back into the APC fold and also assured them that they would not lose their rights and benefits as a result of their misadventure
Hon. Ilaboya spoke on behalf of the defectors. He narrated their ordeal in the PDP, stressing they were able to attain their political ambition courtesy of the goodwill in the APC, and concluded by saying that their brief sojourn in the PDP was uneventful.
Pointedly referring to the former comrade governor and former APC national chairman, Hon. Ilaboya recalled how Sen. Oshiomole played a crucial role in helping them climb the political ladder, noting further that whatever political success they may have achieved was made possible by the APC family as well as it’s liberal leadership that promises merit and youth participation
