In an uncommon public show of maturity and humility, Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole and his hitherto estranged Deputy Governor Pius Odubu have ended the feud between them.

At the government house in Benin City, in front of a horde of party faithful and journalists, the duo acknowledged their mistakes in festering a quarrel that threatened the unity of their party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), heading into the September gubernatorial elections in the state, where they face a fierce opposition in the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Governor Oshiomhole was widely seen as the main force behind the emergence of Mr Godwin Obaseki as the APC governorship candidate at the expense of Odubu, who had refused the alleged entreaties of the governor’s camp to end his campaign for governor.

Allegations and counter-allegations continued to fly between supporters of the duo before, during and after the APC’s primaries in the state which held on June 18.

Oshiomhole said during Tuesday’s reconciliation meeting: “In the course of my administration I took some actions which did not go down well with the supporters of my deputy... I say ‘forgive my trespasses’.”

Oshiomhole added: “The deputy governor and I have worked together as deputy and governor for seven and half years, and we have struggled together as candidate and running mate from 2007; we worked together, dined together, socialised together.”

As part of the reconciliation moves, the governor announced the reinstatement of some of the sacked aides of the deputy governor. He said: “As part of my own atonement, and to demonstrate my commitment to our friendship and our conviviality, which characterise our working together for the past seven and half years or even nine years, some of the people who were affected in the course of this contestation, I have decided to re-engage, to reinstate them to their former positions wherever that was possible and even to get their remuneration restored as if they were never removed.”

On his part, Odubu showed humility and averred that it is not in the Edo tradition for a junior to say he forgives his senior. “Yesterday belongs to the past, and we have decided to put the past behind us. Today is another day, and I want to in the presence of my father here and everybody here present reaffirm my commitment to this party APC and to its victory at all elections,” he said.

With these philosophical words, the deputy pledged to work with other party members to ensure that the APC triumphs in the governorship election in the state.

•Photo shows Oshiomhole and Odubu during the reconciliation meeting . . . yesterday in Benin City.

Update news