If Christmas is a season to embrace love, it does not seem to be so for Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, and his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole.
The bitter war between them has again played out as Oshiomhole is said to have rejected a Christmas package the government sent to him.
The government said Oshiomhole’s mother rejected the package that include four cows and 10 bags of rice because she believes her son would not take it.
Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media and Communications, Crusoe Osagie, said in a statement that messengers from the Government House were dispatched to deliver the gifts on Christmas eve but were turned back.
“The messengers said they met the mother of the former governor who rejected the items, stating that her son would not accept the gifts.
“The gift items include four cows and ten bags of rice,” the statement reads.
Osagie said the Christmas gifts distribution was an annual ritual by the state government which serves as an expression of love.
According to him, it was designed to further strengthen the ties between the government and the people.
Osagie said the gifts were sent to other officials, heads of security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders and heads of institutions of higher learning, among others, saying the governor set the political rift aside to send the gifts to Oshiomhole, who is the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress.
While Oshiomhole’s media aide, Simon Ebegbulem, dismissed the story, describing it as ‘Crusoe’s rubbish’, ”’The Nation’, in a report however noted that that Edo APC faction loyal to Oshiomhole praised the former governor’s mother for rejecting Obaseki’s “poisonous rice”.
Its Secretary Lawrence Okah said in a statement: “We hail Madam Oshiomhole for rejecting the rice if the story being cooked from the Edo State Government House is true.
“No responsible mother will want the enemies to kill her son. Obaseki has on several occasions threatened to ensure the removal of Oshiomhole as APC National Chairman.
“The people he told are there alive and can testify to it. So, why will he take a poisonous cow and rice to Oshiomhole’s house? Is that not deceit?
“Edo State APC commends our mother who also doubles as the mother of APC in Afemai land in rejecting that poisonous gift.
“Obaseki is like the proverbial rat that will bite you and at the same time fan the wound. Enough of his deceit and rubbish.
“He should eat his rice and cow with his newfound friends in the PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) until judgment day comes.”
Watch this soul-searching poetry video by Akeem Lasisi:
