Former Edo State Governor and Senator Adams Oshiomhole has clarified that former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi is not his enemy, despite their political differences and affiliations with different political parties.
Oshiomhole made the clarification during an interview with Symfoni TV, where he reflected on their experiences as state governors and the political challenges they faced while in office.
According to Naija News, the former Edo governor said both men experienced political pressure during their respective tenures, despite belonging to different political parties.
Oshiomhole governed Edo State under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), while Obi served as governor of Anambra State under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
He recalled that both governors faced opposition from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which controlled the federal government during part of their time in office.
The senator said their shared experiences demonstrated that political disagreements do not necessarily translate into personal enmity.
Oshiomhole Recalls Inviting Peter Obi to Edo State
During the interview, Oshiomhole cited his decision to invite Obi to Edo State to commission a development project as evidence that he did not harbour personal animosity towards the former Anambra governor.
He explained that the invitation was not politically motivated, noting that he also invited other governors from across the country to the event.
According to Oshiomhole, the decision was intended to demonstrate that political differences should not prevent citizens from benefiting from development initiatives.
He said: “Peter Obi is not my enemy. We both suffered at some point as governors. I was ACN, he was APGA. We were both oppressed by PDP federal might.”
Oshiomhole further explained that Obi’s invitation to Edo State was not an indication of political support or an attempt to secure his backing.
“I invited Peter Obi to Edo to commission a project. Obviously, it’s not because I dislike him. If I disliked him, I wouldn’t do that. But he was not the only one I invited. I invited governors from across the country,” he said.
Political Differences Should Not Hinder Development, Says Oshiomhole
The former governor maintained that political disagreements should not prevent cooperation on issues that benefit the public.
He stressed that Obi did not visit Edo State to campaign for him and was not expected to do so. Instead, the invitation was an opportunity to demonstrate that public development could transcend party affiliations.
“I wanted to show the people that we can politically disagree, but that doesn’t mean your people should not benefit from development,” Oshiomhole stated.
He added that he remained satisfied with his decision to invite Obi to commission the projects, regardless of their political differences.
“Peter Obi didn’t come to Edo to campaign for me. He did not need to. But I invited him to commission those projects, and I’m happy I did,” he said.
Reiterating his position, Oshiomhole urged people not to interpret political disagreements as evidence of personal hostility between the two politicians.
“Even today, I do not dislike Obi. Don’t misunderstand me,” he added.
Oshiomhole’s comments highlight his stated distinction between political competition and personal relationships, with the senator maintaining that differences in party affiliation should not prevent mutual respect or cooperation in the interest of the public.