I’ll disclose my next move after meeting Buhari -Obaseki

…Visits Wike amidst defection plans to PDP

…APC govs move to resolve Edo crisis, may reverse NWC decisions

…Edo APC recommends expulsion of Obaseki, others over anti-party activities

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, says he will disclose his next step after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari following his disqualification from the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in the state.

Obaseki, who is seeking a second term in office, also said he is still consulting with his supporters.

Writing via his Twitter handle on Sunday, the governor described his disqualification as an act of injustice.

“I appreciate the sustained show of solidarity, support and goodwill from Edo people and Nigerians in the face of injustice by the @OfficialAPCNg screening committee.

“I will be making my next move known after I complete consultations with my supporters and meet with @MBuhari,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, the embattled Edo State governor, on Sunday, visited his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike, at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

An official statement did not state Governor Obaseki’s mission, but it may not be unconnected to his recent disqualification from running for party primaries for a second term by his political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Reports said he has been consulting with the hierarchy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in preparation for defection to the official opposition party in Nigeria.

Governor Wike is a leading member of the PDP and was instrumental to the election of the current PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, who is also from Rivers State.

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The Daily Times recalls that former vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Friday, urged the Edo State governor to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to realise his reelection bid.

Atiku was said to have contacted Obaseki on Friday after the Edo State governor was disqualified from participating in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the September 19 governorship election in Edo state.

The former vice-president, who was the PDP candidate in the last presidential election, was said to be making way for “soft landing” for Obaseki should he defect to the party which is the main opposition in Edo State.

Although the PDP constitution requires any member of the party seeking elective position under its platform to at least be registered for 18 months, it gives room for a waiver.

A source close to Atiku said the former presidential candidate discussed Obaseki’s likely defection with some governors in the PDP.

“The Waziri (of Adamawa Emirate which Abubakar was turbaned in 2018) is wooing Obaseki on behalf of PDP. He spoke with him yesterday and encouraged him to join the PDP.

“He also spoke to some of the PDP governors and urged them to give him a soft landing and access to the party,” the source said.

However, all hope may afterall not have been lost by the embattled Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors have resolved to wade into the crisis even as the governor was declared ineligible by the party to contest in the June 22 governorship primary

Recall that Obaseki, Chris Ogiemwonyi and Matthew Iduoriyekemwen were on Friday disqualified by the party’s screening committee which had its decision ratified by the National Working Committee (NWC) on Saturday.

The governors under the umbrella of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) met via teleconferencing on Saturday and agreed to intervene in the Edo crisis and stem a similar crisis in Ondo State ahead of the governorship elections in both states.

In a signed by the chairman of the PGF and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu and made available to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja, Bagudu said the governors have “collectively agreed to work to ensure strengthening fair and democratic internal party mechanism for the selection of party candidates in all elections, especially in respect of Edo and Ondo states 2020 Governorship elections.”

Confident that the party will resolve all current challenges, the Forum said it “unanimously reaffirmed the commitment of all Progressive Governors to work for the unity of our party.

“Forum members are confident that the party will resolve all current challenges and emerge stronger.”

However, the Daily Times reliably gathered that there is no way the Edo crisis as it were could be resolved without the governors questioning and if need be, reverse certain decisions already taken by the NWC regarding the primary process.

An insider source close to the PGF said consultations are going underneath with stakeholders in the party to look into some of the decisions taken so far by the Adams Oshiomhole – led NWC deemed to be controversial.

The source said “the governors might likely query and subsequently reverse some of the decisions of the NWC on the ground that the party’s administrative organ does not have power to take some of the decisions taken on Edo”.

In another development, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has recommended the expulsion of Governor Godwin Obaseki, and the Chairman of the party, Anselm Ojezua, as well as the state women leader, Dr. Aisosa Amadasun from the party.

Speaking at a news conference in Benin City on Sunday, the David Imuse-led executive, also commended the disqualification of Governor Obaseki by the party’s governorship primaries screening committee, noting that the decision will help the party avert a repeat of the scenario which played out in Bayelsa State.

Imuse cited anti-party activities, dragging the party to court without exploring all available internal dispute resolution options as some of the wrongs of those recommended..