By Seyi Babalola
Governor of Edo state, Godwin Obaseki, has been criticized for allegedly paying out N50 million of tax-payers money to some women to demonstrate against former Governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, over the latter’s reactions to the outburst of the First Lady of Edo state, Betsy Obaseki.
Expressing his displeasure today, Sir Matthew Osifo, a retired permanent secretary and Convener of Election Eyewitness Report, heaps the bulk of the blame on the out-going Governor Obaseki for not able to inculcate discipline in the wife, Mrs. Obaseki.
While condemning Obaseki for allegedly spending N50m on some women to protest against Comrade Oshiomhole, Osifo said that the out-going governor has just displayed another act of desperation and should apologize to Senator Monday Okpebholo, Comrade Oshiomhole and the people of Edo state.
According to him, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki has thrown open the floodgate of the campaign of calumny in Edo state.
“The campaign for the governorship election has been going on well until the First Lady changed that with her tongue.
He added that “rather than accept the money to make a shameful appearance in public, the women should berate the First Lady for insulting Senator Okpebholo and wrongly claiming that he does not have a wife.”
“We know what people have said about Betsy and Godwin in the past, but we chose not to let the rubbish out of the bag.
“We are saddened and ashamed because it is one thing to marry a woman but another thing to manage her properly, which Obaseki has failed to do.”
“Why will anybody blame Comrade Oshiomhole for coming out heavily on Betsy Obaseki in defence of his candidate?
“Comrade Oshiomhole has lived with the fact that Obaseki and Betsy are in a contract marriage that is childless.”
“But now that the First Lady has brought herself so low, the proper thing to do was what Oshiomhole did, by exposing her because those who live in glass houses do not throw stones.
“Betsy Obaseki threw very heavy stones at Okpebholo and we expected Edo women and Nigerian women to condemn her.”
Continuing, Osifo added that, “the manner the First Lady took the centre stage in the presence of her husband to tongue-lash their political opponent, Senator Monday Okpebholo, speaks volumes about the kind of home Obaseki was running. I cannot pity him enough.”
“Some spokespersons of the PDP have even suggested that Oshiomhole should have ignored the First Lady because she was a woman.
“These sets of people have even demeaned the womenfolk more than anybody else by bending the rules to favour a woman who was not properly trained.”
“Those who know Betsy Obaseki very well claimed that she was less enterprising than the husband. Some even added that she does not have a compassionate heart and worse than Governor Obaseki,” he concluded.
Few days ago, during the PDP campaign for Asue Ighodalo in Esanland, wife of the out-going Governor Obaseki took the centre stage to lambast Senator Monday Okpebholo alleging that he does not have a wife. But this is wrong; not only is the senator married, he also haa children.
Another group that has condemned her position, has also asked that between a wife and a child, which was more important for a man who wants to govern a state.
