Some leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have been mounting pressure on Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, to reconsider and reverse his decision to resign from the party even as the governor was finalizing plans to decamp to the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to pursue his re-election bid in the forthcoming gubernatorial election billed for September 22, 2020.
Sources at the APC secretariat in Abuja told Huhuonline.com yesterday that several party leaders and first-time APC governors mounted pressure on Obaseki to rescind his decision because the suspension of the embattled APC chairman, Adams Oshiomhole who masterminded his disqualification to contest the APC was upheld by the court of appeal; and that the party will work out an arrangement which will allow Obaseki to remain in the APC. To which end, Chief Victor Giadom APC Deputy National Secretary, who was drafted to operationalize the plan immediately staked his claims to the leadership of the party, and announced the cancellation of the decision by the APC screening committee that disqualified Obaseki from contesting the APC governorship primary. Giadom, who was later suspended by the APC National Working Committee (NWC), anchored his claim to the party’s chairmanship on a March 16 order of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.
But Obaseki who announced his resignation after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Aso Villa felt betrayed that his disqualification had the blessing of Buhari and APC national leader, Bola Tinubu and has vowed to seek his pound of flesh by using the instruments of state power at his disposal to exploit the incumbency factor to defeat the APC in Edo state. Barring any major last-minute surprises, Obaseki is expected to lead a delegation of his supporters, including the deputy governor, Phillip Shaibu, to join the PDP.
Obaseki, who resigned from the (APC) on Tuesday, hours before the Court of Appeal affirmed the suspension of Oshiomhole, held a series of meetings with top PDP officials, including PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus at the Abuja residence of PDP Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike. Also in attendance was the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, who is also the Governor of Sokoto State, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal. Huhuonline.com also learnt that the PDP governors held a virtual conference with Obaseki chaired by Tambuwal, during which they assured Obaseki that he is welcome to join the ranks of the opposition party and promised to rally their support behind his re-election effort, according to sources privy to the meeting.
As at press time yesterday, Obaseki was still meeting with Secondus in Abuja. Even as Obaseki was meeting with PDP governors, the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) was meeting an undisclosed location outside the party’s national secretariat to work out the practical modalities of the impending waivers to be issued to Obaseki for him to get a soft landing into the party. A source close to the NWC told Huhuonline.com that the PDP intends to seek a new date for its governorship primary, form the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, such a date must be within the June 27 deadline approved by the commission last February 6, for political parties to choose their governorship candidates because INEC warned yesterday that the deadline for the primaries will not be extended. The electoral umpire also warned that 6:00pm on June 29 remains the deadline for all political parties participating in the Edo State governorship election to submit the names of their candidates.
INEC’s Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, gave the warnings during a meeting with security chiefs to adopt the security code of conduct for all security personnel covering the governorship election. “The deadline is Saturday, June 27, 2020. I must stress that the date is firm and fixed. There will be no extension of the deadline. While the conduct of primaries and nomination of candidates will be the sole responsibility of political parties, our officials will monitor the primaries as required by law.”
On the eligibility of candidates to contest the election, Yakubu said: “A candidate nominated by a political party must be a Nigerian citizen by birth; must have attained the age of 35 years; must be a member of, and sponsored by, a political party; and must be educated up to at least school certificate level or equivalent.”
