Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Leadership tussle is currently rocking the Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) regarding  who takes over from the current leadership.

The crisis is between a former deputy governor, Rev. Peter Obadan, who has tacitly endorsed a successor and the supporters  of the member, representing Owan Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Prof. Julius Ihonbvere, who double as House Majority Leader.

Ihonbvere feels that as the one holding the highest political office in the local government, he should become the next leader or anybody he nominated.

It was gathered that Rev. Obadan moments after the victory of the APC in the last gubernatorial elections told party stakeholders during an enlarged meeting of his willingness to handover the leadership of the party to a younger man, Lucky Ohimai popularly called Tarex who was said to have been instrumental to the victory of the APC.

But some ward leaders in the local government loyal to Ihonbvere, met recently to strategise on how to ease out the long-serving Obadan and replace him with their nominee, Dele Ogunleye.

In a communiqué signed by Mr. S. I. Akhigbe and 15 others, it was said that a motion for the replacement of Obadan was moved and unanimously adopted at the meeting.

The choice of Ogunleye and attempt to alter the leadership status met stiff opposition and condemnation from another group in the local government who opted for the maintenance of the status quo, adding that if a change must be effected, it should be Ohimai.

The leadership group said to be opposed to the choice of Ogunleye include the Owan West APC Chairman, Frank David, Ojo Asein, the LGA Youth Leader, Chief Odion Omogbai, Reginald Okun, Enahoro Aikpokpo and several others.

Against this backdrop, leadership of the group has called on Governor Monday Okpebholo to give recognition to the Ohimai caucus following the latter’s unwavering support and immeasurable efforts towards his victory at the September 21, Edo State governorship election.

They posited that before Ohimai came on board, to actively participate in politics of Owan West, the APC in the local government could best be described as a rudderless ship. According to them, the party clearly lacked the wherewithal, strength and focus to prevail in a contest over the now opposition People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), who had the well-entrenched presence of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku in its fold.

One of the leaders told journalists in Benin that “We don’t need to debate this issue at all. APC was crawling until Tarex came and with his support we won the last election. Rev Obadan only said the obvious in his speech after the governorship election.”

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