Oshiomhole Vs Betsy Obaseki – Frank Ofili

“Let us vote for the best candidate in this coming election, and I want to introduce the wife. Incidentally, among all the candidates, only one has a wife, and it’s our own party’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo. Only he has a wife. This is the wife, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Ighodalo.

“Edo women, know that only one candidate has a wife. Better things come to women when there’s a woman in the Government House. All women in Edo, regardless of party, should see the candidate who has a wife. They will take us higher.”

— Mrs Betsy Obaseki, First Lady, Edo State, during a PDP campaign rally

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I fail to see how the above statement credited to Edo State First Lady, Betsy Obaseki, constitute a personal attack on Edo APC governorship candidate, Monday Okpebholo, to warrant the kind of personal verbal attack Senator Adam Oshiomhole unleashed on her.  Oshiomhole was seen in a virile video mocking Mrs. Betsy Obaseki for childlessness and refusal to adopt a child.

APC’s Senator Monday Okpebholo is only one of at least three governorship candidates in Edo State. Even if Mrs Obaseki personally attacked him, how does it become Oshiomhole’s duty to respond? Why not let Okpebholo himself respond, or at least let his media team do it?

All may be fair in politics, as they are in warfare, but on such matters which only God can give, it is prudent to draw the line.

Some may argue that Mrs Obaseki drew Oshiomhole’s ire when she brought in the issue of wife, or no wife, during PDP campaign, but I fail to see it that way. Mrs Obaseki did not direct her statement at the person of Okpebholo, neither is Okpebholo the only unmarried governorship candidate in Edo State.

Oshiomhole’s statement has only gone to prove one thing only – that Okpebholo will not be his own man if elected governor.

Trust me, what is currently happening in Rivers State between Governor Fubara and FCT Minister Wike is not lost on Edo people. They will remember.

I’m sorry to say that Oshiomhole’s attack on Mrs Obaseki, especially in the manner he did, may backfire. It may cost Okpebholo the governorship election, unless Oshiomhole and APC are relying on federal might. But he ought to know that Edo people do not brook interlopers – federal or otherwise.