The Cause Of Edo Problem Is From Abuja, Not Within – Obaseki

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki said the cause of the problem in his state is not within but from Abuja.

Obaseki made the statement on Monday shortly after meeting President, Muhammadu Buhari at the Villa to present his nomination and expresssion of interest form.

“The problem in Edo is not from within Edo, it is from outside. So I don’t see the person I am competing or contesting against he’s not in Edo, he is Abuja,” he said.

“It is unfortunate, the position he has taken I believe that he was misguided, well not properly guided and as governor, his governor, it is my responsibility to seek peace for my state and with all my citizens.”

The comment however suggest the ongoing feud between the governor and the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Adams Oshiomhole is far from over.

Obaseki further revealed his willingness to embrace peace in the state. “I will continue to strive for peace, I’ll continue to pursue peace, seek and interest of our people. I’m open, I will always call that we should talk about how to move things forward. We cannot turn back the hands of the clock. So there are certain things we just must accept and see how we can move forward and build on, where we are,” he said.

Meanwhile Oshiomhole insisted on the adoption of a direct primary for June 22 to determine the party’s candidate for the September governorship election.

He said the disagreement with the governor over the mode of primary remained in the realm of speculation, stating that he had not received any formal letter from Obaseki opposing the method of primary approved by the party.

“We have since published our time table because, under the law, we are required to give INEC at least 21 days’ notice to monitor our primaries and to state the mode of our primaries and of course NEC has approved direct primaries for Edo. That of Ondo has not been discussed because that will come much later, because Edo will come about three weeks before Ondo,” he said.

The APC national chairman said this to journalists in Abuja on Monday, after a meeting of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) and some of the party’s governors who met with APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday, in a bid to finding solutions to the ongoing crisis in the party.

He said the party had commenced the sales of forms, stressing that as at last Friday, three people had picked the forms, while noting that the party is still selling forms to all those who wish to buy based on the guidelines of the party.

He said: “Even this morning we had a virtual meeting with INEC leadership, we will conduct primaries taking into account the protocols on COVID-19 by the PTF and NCDC. I think everything has been going fine.”

The incumbent governor, Obaseki will however slog it out with Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu for the party’s ticket ahead of the September governoship election in the state.