Hon Paul Ohonbamu, the spokesperson to the Edo State All Progressives Congress, APC, Governorship Candidate campaign organization weekend lashed back at the APC ward 2 chairman, Daniel Osa-Ogbegie for citing incompetence and lack of credibility on the part of the party’s candidate and running mate for his resignation from the APC.
Osa-Ogbegie, a staunch loyalist and political foot soldier of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu in a surprising move had in a letter Friday evening resigned his membership of the opposition APC in the state.
His resignation from the APC was celebrated in the camps of the opposition Peoples Democratic party, PDP and the Labour Party, (LP) in the state.
In his letter of resignation Osa-Ogbegie specifically took a swipe at the emergence of Senator Monday Okpebholo and Dennis Idahosa as the governorship candidate and running mate of the APC describing the duo as lacking in credibility and competence.
Osa-Ogbegie in his resignation letter reads: “I, Daniel A. Noah Osa-Ogbegie, Esq. hereby tender my resignation from the APC today.
“I am an Edo-centered person who believes strongly in an Edo renaissance driven by Edo people under sound and correct leadership. The candidate of the APC in the forthcoming governorship election does not fill me with confidence as that leader that can lead the Edo renaissance I have always wanted.
“With this dour governorship ticket of the APC, it was clear to me that Edo APC was not serious about the election or was not serious about presenting viable governance to Edo people or both.”
He added, “As an honorable man, instead of working against the candidate of the party as a member, it was better for me to resign my membership of the party, as I cannot in good conscience campaign for the ticket of Senator Monday Okpebholo and Representative Dennis Idahosa. My conscience could not allow me and our ancestors would not have forgiven me.”
But in a swift reaction Ohonbamu said Osa-Ogbegie was just being economical with the real reasons for quitting the APC, adding that he is beating the drums of the PDP.
Ohonbamu noted, “It is a pity that he is citing examples and giving reasons why he is leaving and is a spurious one for that matter. It is the height of sophistry for him to say Monday Okpebholo doesn’t possess capacity yet he defeated an incumbent PDP senator for the first time in Edo Central Senatorial District in the history of APC and he is representing the party at the Senate. The way and manner he emerged as the candidate of APC shows his capacity.
“Even his running mate, Dennis Idahosa has done well. He is representing his constituency in Ovia for the second term and defeated the Igbinedion’s.
“I think Osa-Ogbegie can leave without pushing unnecessary reasons for leaving. Every normal human being has an internal focus for self-evaluation, he is just beating the drum of PDP, and they have encouraged him with one thing or the other.
“You see, people mistake humility for weakness. You know, Senator Monday Okpebholo has made humility his lifestyle and of course, we know that deep rivers flow in majestic silence but you know they are deep rivers. The reasons he gave may be shrouded in mystery, I think on the whole he should just leave the APC candidates out”.