Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (left) and Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu sulking the pain of humiliation
Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu the national leader of the All progressive Congress (APC) party and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole the suspended National Chairman of the APC appear to be the worst losers in the just concluded Edo State governorship elections considering the rain of mockery they are receiving from Nigerians both from home and in the diaspora.
The social media is awash with cartoons that mock both men who may be fading politically with the new awakening political realities in the country where people are tired of godfatherism. It would be recalled that Oshiomhole spearheaded the campaign against Obaseki’s reelection, which eventually denied him the ticket of the APC. On the other hand, a week to the election, Tinubu released a video where he was seen pleading with Edo State people to reject Obaseki.
*Senator Tinubu (left) and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole
But at the end of the intense contest, jubilant residents of Benin City on Sunday trooped out to celebrate the victory of Governor Godwin Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party over the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, in the Saturday poll.
The residents openly mocked their former governor Adams Oshiomhole, who was the major promoter of Ize-Iyamu. They were also telling Bola Tinubu that “Edo State is not Lagos State where you are the sole decider of who wins election.” Senator Dino Melaye who was a member of the 8th National Assembly also released a vlog that mocked Oshiomhole and the national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
With all the intimidating strategy of the ruling APC including deploying over 30,000 policemen to Edo State, Obaseki polled a total number of 307,955 votes to emerge winner of the poll while Ize-Iyamu scored 223,619 votes. Obaseki had contested and won the same Ize-Iyamu on the platform of the APC in 2016. Ize-Iyamu at the time was then candidate of the PDP.
While celebrating Obaseki’s victory on Sunday, Melaye said Oshiomhole had been reduced, downgraded and degraded. Melaye said, “Fellow countrymen and women, I salute you once again. I am reaching you directly from Edo. What we used to have as Osho Baba (Oshiomole Father) has now been reduced, downgraded and degraded to Osho pikin (Oshiomole child). Nobody should call Osho Baba again, never! The only thing you now have is Osho pikin.”
The sarcastic Senator continued, “How can you expect that a man with the umbrella will not win during the rainy session? Definitely, the PDP won. APC, how market? Oshiomhole, how market?” Melaye said before bursting into a song to mock Oshiomhole and Tinubu.
“The dollars brought in a bullion van to Edo have gone down the drain,” Melaye added. Also, some of Obaseki’s supporters said Oshiomhole should relocate to Lagos to join Tinubu to help him cope with the shame of the defeat. Obaseki’s supporters called Oshiomhole many unprintable names, saying he became too arrogant after the people of Edo State compensated him to win the 2007 governorship in the state. While dancing and singing, some of the youths said, “He (Oshiomhole) should relocate to be living with his godfather in Lagos.”
