By Seyi Odewale
Many Nigerians have expressed their disgust at the spat between the former governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and the wife of the governor of the state, Mrs. Betty Obaseki.
The duo had descended so low in their utterances on the marital statuses of their preferred candidates for the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State slated for the 21st of this month.
Obaseki’s wife last Thursday during the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) campaign flagged off at the Ubiaja township stadium in the Esan South-East Local Government Area, said the only candidate who has a wife among those contending for the governorship seat in the state was the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo.
At the campaign, Betsy introduced Ifeyinwa Ighodalo, wife of Asue Ighodalo to the crowd present at the event, saying: “Let’s campaign and vote for the best candidate in this forthcoming election. I want to introduce his wife. Incidentally, out of all the candidates contesting this election, only one has a wife.”
She added: “That is our own party candidate — Asue Ighodalo. This is his wife, Ifeyinwa Ighodalo.”
According to Obaseki’s wife, the PDP candidate’s wife would help empower women when and if her husband is elected.
However, Oshiomhole, who represents the Edo North Senatorial District at the National Assembly, took a swipe at the governor’s wife saying: “I was shocked yesterday to see Mrs Obaseki, the first lady, saying our candidate has no wife. I’m sorry she had to say that because here is a woman who has no child. Between him (sic) and Obaseki, they are childless. They are not even ready to adopt.”
He added: “I don’t blame anybody who doesn’t have a child but people who have love for children go to a motherless home and adopt. They have not adopted. They are both in their sixties.
“Our candidate not only has children, but he has also invested in the education of those children, such that the first one who spoke (at a campaign rally) is a lawyer, and the second is a medical doctor. They addressed the crowd in Edo South, Edo Central, and North and their mother was there.”
However, the spat between the duo elicited both savoury and unsavoury responses from Nigerians, who took to social media to vent their views.
Some blamed the Edo North senator for joining issues with the wife of the governor in the first place. To them, Oshiomhole, being an elder, should have ignored the woman.
But others blamed the woman saying she started the mudslinging. “If you are living in a glass house, don’t throw stones. Both the woman and Oshiomole are just dancing naked in public, let them enjoy it while it lasts,” said Atoki Ebenezer on Facebook.
Another commentator, Olalekan Bankole said: “The two sides were wrong on this particular issue because action and reaction are equal and opposite. They should apologize to each other.”
Chime Victor, another Facebool commentator, said: “I don’t know what triggered the emotional outbursts on both sides and the taking of sides. Be that as it may, the woman kickstarted the war of words.”
“When you accuse a man ripe to marry and who has not yet married, you are casting aspersions that could border on hooliganism and even sterility. If you are in the public domain, minimize your gaffes,” he added.
Also, Alfred Babalola, said Betty was the first one to call the APC candidate wifeless. “What goes around comes around,” he said.
Otunba Yinka Ayanleye made a joke from it saying: “To the one who is looking for a wife to marry, he should take solace in how Jacob got married with all kinds of dribbles but at last he married the one he eventually laboured for and with extras. APC Edo State Governorship candidate, the joy of the Lord is your strength in spite of the first lady’s mockery.”
