EDO 2020: Arhiavbere Is Casualty No.1?

By Honours Akhigbe

The All Progressives Congress, (APC), Oredo Ward 1 has suspended the retired General Charles Arhiavbere from the party for alleged anti party activities.
Arhiavbere, a chieftain of the party and governorship aspirant of the party in 2016. He was the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Edo State in 2012.
He had in 2012 contested against and lost to the then incumbent governor of the state, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole who was the standard bearer of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
But in 2015, General Arhiavbere cross carpeted the All Progressives Congress (APC). There, he again tried his luck on the governorship position but unfortunately for him, he was defeated at primary level by Mr. Godwin Obaseki in 2016.
Ever since, General Arhiavbere has never lowered his eyes from the Osadebey Avenue, the Edo State Seat of Government.
His aspiration may have been problematic to some party bigwigs in the state, hence the decision to do away with him as the 2020 governorship election is fast approaching.
Thus Arhiavbere is the first 2020 governorship aspirant to be hacked and investigation revealed that many more casualties will soon follow.
“This is just the beginning. Very soon, others will be brought down by the Hawks and Sharks in the APC. All they need to do is just to level any baseless allegations against such party stalwarts and they are dealt with”, an APC leader in the state, hinted.
But his ward members in a press statement signed by its chairman, Hon. Felix Ehigiegba and 21 others and made available to newsmen in Benin City, accused the retired army general of anti party activities and thus suspended him from the party.
Hon. Felix alleged that the retired general worked against President Muhammadu Buhari and other candidates of the party in the just concluded general elections in the state and therefore, his offense is unpardonable.
According to them “We wish to bring to the notice of the party hierarchy anti-party acts/actions carried out by one of the leaders of Oredo ward one APC- General Charles Airhiavbere during the last general elections held on the 23 February, 2019 (Presidential and National Assembly).
“Sir, it will interest you to note that on the 3rd of March, an enlarged APC leadership meeting was held, in that meeting, one of the leaders from ward one, Hon. Samson Abu openly revealed how Gen. Airhiavbere was involved in anti-party activities against the APC.
“Though Gen. Airhiavbere was unavoidably absent in that meeting. Based on series of complaints from different quarters abut Gen. Charles Airhiavbere’s actions of late towards the party, an investigative panel was set up to find out the true picture.
“The panel having sat and carefully investigated the allegations, came up with these findings and recommendations:
“General Charles Airhiavbere on the day of election deliberately withheld tags and other party tools meant for agents and APC faithful thereby hindering their work on the field.
“That Gen. Charles Airhiavbere openly canvassed for votes for the opposition PDP and thereby worked against our candidates- The President and our National Assemblies candidates.
“That Gen. Charles Airhiavbere openly told our party agents and loyalists that they should make sure APC did not win.
“That was supposed to be Mr. President and National Assembly election.
“Based on Gen. Airhiavbere unpardonable actions against the APC and coupled with hard evidence against him, the undersigned executive of Oredo ward I met and moved a vote of no confidence on General Charles Ariavbere and he is there suspended indefinitely from the All Progressive Congress with immediate effect”, they posited.
But in a swift reactions, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, said their allegations against him were baseless, adding that their purpose of coming up with such frivolous allegations was to thwart his governorship ambition in the state.
Airhiavbere said there has never been a time he worked against the interest of the party, stressing that the allegations were the handiwork of his political enemies who were terrified about his capacity to win the party governorship primary.
“Am not aware of that, (suspension). I don’t know what could have led to that. There are laid down procedures in APC constitution. If that has not been followed, then there must be a gang up or coup to discourage those that they see as threat.
“Definitely, it has to do with the 2020 governorship election in the State. That must be a sinister movement against those perceived to be a threat. It is a case of let us take down the heavyweights, let us take them down now. That is politics, but that is not democracy. But, if we are practicing democracy, let us practice it right.
“There are laid down procedures. Nobody has invited me, nobody has discussed anything with me or that I failed to show up.
“Where’s the evidence? I spent my money to host people in my house, all the youths that came to vote. I am the only person who has an active campaign office, right behind the voting unit at Oredo. That’s the rallying point.
“It is a case of calling the dog a bad name to hang it. I didn’t contest, so, why should I be singled out. I was not funded to lead any campaign, neither did I hold back any campaign money. There must be a strategic calumny to discourage me from contesting, that is where it is coming from,” the general added.
He, however did not state his next line of action. Whether he will battle it out, collapse his governorship ambition or simply move to any the numerous political parties to seek to quench his governorship taste.