The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has blamed the Nigerian media for the alleged rift between himself and Edo Governor, Godwin Obaseki, describing his successor as his brother.
The APC in Edo State had been enmeshed crisis occasioned by the rift between Mr. Oshiomhole and Mr. Obaseki with the former being accused of undue interference in running of government in the state.
The rift led to a division among State Assembly members with a faction pledging allegiance to Mr. Oshiomhole.
Only recently, the National Assembly waded into the with a resolution asking the governor to reconvened the State Assembly to allow settlement of the rift.
But speaking after he received Mr. Obaseki, who led members of his cabinet to celebrate the Eid-el-Kabir festival at his Iyamoh residence in Estako West Local Government Government Area of Edo, Mr. Oshiomhole blamed the media for the conflict.
The former governor who spoke to journalists after a closed-door meeting which lasted for about an hour, said the meeting was not unusual as he was in constant touch with Mr. Obaseki.
According to Mr. Oshiomhole, “from time to time, we have always been meeting. It is not an unusual visit, the meeting afforded me the opportunity to meet with my brother and with people I have worked with.”
The APC national chairman described the rift as the unfortunate creation of people with personal interest and the media, whom he said liked creating factions for their own gain.
Mr. Obaseki also said the visit to his predecessor was not unusual, adding that he decided to celebrate Sallah with his former boss.
He said the visit was to celebrate Edo leaders just as the former APC national chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, was celebrated by the state earlier in the day.
“There is nothing unusual about this meeting; today is Sallah and we have just finished celebrating with the former APC national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun in Benin City.
“And we decided to come here to celebrate Sallah with my predecessor,” the governor said.
He added that people who think there was a rift between him and his predecessor should stop thinking like that.
