Akpatason, Obende Political Ambitions Tear Akoko _Edo APC apart
By DADA AYOKHAI
The recently concluded APC local government congress in Akoko Edo has further deepened the crisis rocking the party in the council area
Rather than producing a local government executive of the party, the congress results has pitched Senator Domingo Obende against Hon Peter Akpatason.
Senator Obende was the former senator who represented Edo North senatorial district in the 7th assembly, while Hon Akpatason is presently representing Akoko Edo constituency in the House of Representatives.
These two APC political juggernauts are now flexing muscles for the control of the party structures.
Both of them supported separate candidates for the sole chairmanship position in the council area.
Party sources disclosed that whilst it appears as if the two contenders are unanimous on the chairmanship slot going to someone of Okpameri extraction, they however disagreed on the idea of a single candidate.
Thus, whilst Hon Akpatason pitched his tent with Prince Malik Ojo, Senator Obende paraded Frank Adeyemi respectively.
Insider sources privy to the battle of supremacy playing out between Senator Obende and Hon Akpatason likened it to the battle for political survival in 2023.
It further revealed that Hon Akpatason’s support for Prince Malik is anchored on the premise of consolidating his power base preparatory to 2023 as well as his ambition for a fourth term in the green chamber, with permutations rife about the prospect of him becoming the House Speaker or deputy speaker, as the case may be.
On the other hand, Senator Obende is trying to stage a force comeback into political reckoning and sees the congress as an opportunity to plant his acolytes in strategic positions.
Having fallen out of favour with Oshiomole loyalists who dominate the APC structures in the state and who also came short of declaring him a “political orphan”, as a result if his alleged fraternity with the PDP during the last gubernatorial poll, which allegedly enabled the PDP to secure victory in his domain, Senator Obende is desirous of reasserting his political relevance
Though he is yet to publicly state his next political move, his supporters are of the opinion that he would either seek for an elective political post or that of the party , hence the imperative for him to grab a strong hold of the party structure.
As it stands presently, no one can say with certainty who is vested with the chairmanship of the party in Akoko-Edo.
No matter where the pendulum eventually swings, it is obvious to the discerning mind that the APC is already fictionalised
