Tony Osauzo, Benin
Less than 24 hours after members of a group which styled itself ‘Kwankwasiyya Movement’ defected from the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress to the PDP, a former member of the House of Representatives, Engr. Isaac Osahon who was listed among the defectors,on Friday, debunked the claim, saying he remains a member of the APC.
Addressing journalists in Benin City, Osahon, who represented Ovia federal Constituency, said his grievances with the party was not enough for him to defect from the party.
“I am not a member of R-APC, I am a member of APC, I am still a member of APC. I am not also a member of the Kwakwanso group that described themselves as Kwakwansians. I am also not a member and I have not dumped my party. Up till as I speak, I am still a member. What is probably miscarried in their information, is not supposed to be for the media.
”It is true that I am aggrieved because of certain happenings in APC and I bared my mind. I told members of my party and the leadership that I am not happy about certain things and they are already looking into it. I have met with the secretary of the party and some others who belong to the leadership group and I have made my mind known to them, they have set machinery in motion to ensure that this matter is resolved”, Osahon said.
Earlier, a chieftain of the APC, Chief Osamede Adun, the Aiyobahan of Benin Kingdom, while announcing their defection from the party, said they were leaving because of abandonment and attitude of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Chief Adun who is the leader of Kwankwasiyya movement in Edo APC said his house was destroyed by the state government and that he was driven away from the party.
Adun who spoke to newsmen in Benin City after tendering his resignation letter warned the state government against using payment of taxes to harass him.
He said he would pay the appropriate taxes but would cry out if the taxes were too high.
“What makes me resign from the party is because of their attitude. If anything happen to me, they know who to hold responsible. I am in a party that can destroy my house and send me away. I have to leave the APC.
“I resigned from the APC on my own volition. I am a member and leader of Kwankwasiyya movement in Edo APC. If the Senate President can declare for the PDP, who am I to say I will remain in the party.
“I know that they can give me taxes to pay on my businesses. If they give me what I can pay, I will pay but if it is too big, I will cry out.
“All the Kwankwasiyya members held meetings and they said they have their mandate to say enough is enough. We are supporting Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso. He has defected to the PDP and we are working for him.”
Meanwhile, Governor Godwin Obaseki, has denied being responsible for the defection of Kwakwansia members in the state who said they were leaving the party because of his style of leadership.
A statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie said “The focus of Governor Obaseki is governance and getting the dividends of democracy to the ordinary Edo people. While he holds every member of the political party in high esteem, his first loyalty is to the Edo masses. They are the ones whose mandate he carries and they always come first.”