The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II has countered Adams Oshiomhole’s claim that he (Oba) advised him against supporting Godwin Obaseki to become governor in 2016.
Oshiomhole In company of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and the newly elected governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo and other top members had visited the Oba shortly after INEC announced Okpebholo as winner of the gubernatorial election.
At the palace, Oshiomhole reminded the Oba that he had advised him against picking Obaseki as his successor in 2016 but he declined.
“Your Royal Majesty, I would like to remain on my knees, first to apologise to Your Majesty for my poor judgment, when, in spite of your clear advice to the contrary, I stubbornly, and wrongly supported a man, who I thought, being a Benin man, will respect the tradition, the custom, the heritage, the brilliance and creativity and the respect for tradition by any logical man that claims a Benin man, when I presented Obaseki to you, against your advice.”
However, in a swift reaction countering Oshiomhole’s claim, the Oba denied making such a statement, saying he never expressed his disapproval of the choice of Obaseki as governor contrary to Oshiomhole’s assertion.
“When you brought Obaseki to me, I did not say anything. You know I said I won’t say so much here. I told them. And I will try to restrain myself. Because anything that will bring any issue with my son Akpakomisa (Okpebholo’s appellation), I want to avoid it.
“But I have to correct it when you say ‘against my advice’. I never said anything against Obaseki when you brought him. You will recall, this one (the Oba pointed to the former chairman of the Edo State Board of Internal Revenue, Elemah, a bosom friend of Oshiomhole) is your witness when you brought him to introduce him to me. You talked about how Odubu (Oshiomhole’s deputy governor) voted against my father’s choice.,” the Oba countered.