Edo APC Exco to meet today to take a position on Obaseki’s resignation from party

…As state party elders, leaders opt to back governor wherever he goes

Following the decision of the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, to resign his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the state working committee of the APC will be meeting today to take a position on its next step of action.

READ ALSO: Oshiomhole’s recklessness forced me out of APC – Edo deputy governor

Disclosing this to The Daily Times in an exclusive chat, the chairman of the APC in Edo State, Mr. Anslem Ojezua said the meeting is meant to enable the state working committee harmonise their thoughts and decide on the way forward.

He however added that leaders of the party who are not necessarily members of the state working committee have already taken a position to back and support the governor of whatever position he decides to take with regards to his second term ambition.

It will be recalled that the Screening committee of the APC led by Jonathan Ayuba had disqualified, Obaseki from contesting the party primary towards the Edo governorship poll, saying that the panel disqualified Obaseki over a “defective” certificate.

As a result of the disqualification Obaseki met with Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, with the hope that the Presidency will mediate on the matter and get the APC leadership to change its position, but when that didn’t work Obaseki announced his resignation from the party.

Speaking with journalists at the presidential villa, Obaseki said he would pursue his second-term bid on another platform.

“You remember in my last tweet, I said that I’ll make a decision, after my disqualification was announced by APC, that I’ll make a decision after I’ve consulted with the leadership and my supporters in Edo State and also having informed the president,” he said.

“Just here today to inform you that I have now decided, formally, to resign my membership of the All Progressives Congress. Having done that I will now announce in the next few days my specific line of action and what platform I will be contesting the gubernatorial election on.”

Describing the situation as tricky, Ojezua said, “The state executive is meeting tomorrow to take a position on the governor’s resignation from the APC.”

He however informed that “For now the leaders of the party who are not necessarily executive members of the party have resolved to support the governor wherever he goes, but the executive have a mandate to work in the interest of the party and that mandate subsists for four years, from 2018 to 2022, so the executive will meet tomorrow and take a position on the matter,” he said.