Alleged Inducement: Idahosa Dares Obaseki, Quits PDP For APC

Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT) member, Hon Charles Idahosa, who recently resigned his membership of the party in Edo State, yesterday rejoined the All Progressives Congress (APC), his former party.

He also challenged Governor Godwin Obaseki to mention names of those he alleged to have been financially induced to join the APC.

Idahosa spoke at a press conference where he returned back to the All Progressives Congress , APC and was received by leadership of the party amid jubilation.

He advised the APC in the state to close rank and work assiduously in ensuring that Obaseki and his political godson and candidate of the party, Asue Ighodalo is not allowed to win the September 21st governorship election.

Apparently peeved by Obaseki’s comment that those leaving PDP have been given money and that the party will win 80 percent of the votes in the forthcoming governorship election,  Idahosa said the greatest thing that will befall the APC is to allow Obaseki to win again.

He said, “When he came to beg me like a weather beaten chicken, how much did he give to me? Anytime he goes religious gathering he would say those leaving PDP have been given money. The greatest regret I have is not allowing Obaseki to resign after his first four years in office.

“He came to me three times in my house to say he wants to resign, that he was tired of being governor but I appealed to him, telling him it was not about him but Benin interest.

“Obaseki is suffering from delusion of grandeur by saying that he would win 80 percent of the votes. Where will he get the votes?”

He therefore urged APC members in the state to unite, saying “This is not time for division in the APC, we will return Edo to APC”.

He also lashed out at those underrating Senator Monday Okpebholo’s qualification to be governor and said doing so is like underrating Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin, who they say didn’t go to school but became the first black man to own a Boeing 747, and who has trained many graduates and owns a university.

Earlier, the secretary of the Edo State chapter of the APC, Engr. Lawrence Okah, while introducing Idahosa, said he was a founding member of the party, adding “We are here basically to receive him back home, he went on sabbatical.”

He then called on the chairman and secretary of Uhunmwonde local government APC to issue the party membership card to Idahosa, who he described as “the doyen of Edo South politics”.

In his comment, former deputy governor of the state and leader of Edo South APC, Dr Pius Odubu, said “I am very elated to have our senior brother Hon. Charles Idahosa back, to have a former BoT member of another party join your party is a good catch anytime any day.”