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After months of proxy war and trading of political tackles by their respective supporters, the incumbent governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, and his estranged godfather and predecessor in office, Adams Oshiomhole appear set to sheathe their swords and be brothers again.
In their reconciliatory moves, however, the media, as usual, became the whipping boy with Oshiomhole blaming the feud on the Fourth Estate of the Realm. The duo seized the opportunity of the Sallah holidays to kick-start the healing process in their hitherto frosty relationship which had severely fouled the political air and threatened the electoral fortune of the ruling party ahead of the 2020 governorship election in the state.
It was a case of Mohammed going to the mountain when on Monday night, Obaseki, who had in the past avoided face-to-face meeting with Oshiomhole, the national chairman of his party, swallowed his pride to pay the latter a visit at his Iyamho country home ostensibly in the spirit of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration. But contrary to reports that the meeting was a surprise one, the magazine gathered that it had been pre-arranged. A source who should know hinted that the governor was with Oshiomhole in Abuja last Thursday and it was then that he promised to visit with their mutual friend and major mediator, Aliko Dangote on Sallah day.
Dangote could, however, not make it because of his personal engagements. Obaseki who left for Iyamho from the venue of a reception party in honour of the immediate past national chairman of the APC, John Odigie-Oyegun, who clocked 80, had hinted earlier in the day at a thanksgiving mass at St. Paul Catholic Church, however, he had met with his predecessor and efforts were being made to resolve their differences.
Obaseki, who had insisted that there was no rift between him and the former governor, stated that the issues were created by “third parties” in the state, also assured that efforts were on in pursuit of peace in the state. In his words, “we have met – me and my predecessor in office – and fortunately, we do not have any fundamental issues. And because we do not have any fundamental issues, I believe that whatever third parties are trying to propagate, I am sure we can talk over it. I assure you that very soon, things will return to normalcy in Edo State.”
