• Thursday, March 28, 2024
businessday logo

BusinessDay

Edo Governorship: Despite APC Governors’ intervention Oshiomhole insists on direct primaries

Oshiomhole

Despite the intervention by a section of All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors to have the National Working (NWC) of party to rescind its earlier decision and adopt indirect primaries for Edo Governorship, the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, has insisted that the direct mode still stands.

The Chairman Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Atiku Bagudu on Monday led the Plateau Governor, Simon Lalong, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Gombe Governor, Mohammed Inuwa, Kano State Governor, Umur Ganduje and Ondo State Governor, Olurotimi Akeredolu to meet with the APC NWC.

Though Bagudu told journalists at the end of the closed-door meeting that the purpose was to discuss issues of interests to the party that had piled up since March, BusinessDay reliably learnt that it was aimed at prevailing on the Oshiomhole led- NWC to approve indirect primaries for Edo, to enable their colleague, Godwin Obaseki clinch the party’s return ticket.

However, the APC National Chairman also told journalists that the NWC had approved direct primaries for Edo and there was no going back on that as it was provided for in the party’s constitution.

While dismissing reports that Obaseki had rejected the direct and opted for indirect primaries, the former Edo Governor told reporters that: “You are speculating, I don’t have any letter or document to that effect. These are very formal matters. So stop spreading rumours.

“Obaseki is not here but issues of primaries are well spelt out in our constitution and we are following it as strictly as possible. So, nothing to worry about at all”.

On the mode for Ondo State, he said that had not been discussed because that will come much later, because Edo will come about three weeks before Ondo.

“You know that Governors are assets to our party and once a candidate emerges we all work and ensure that we do our best to persuade the people in the respective States to favour us with their votes and I am sure that by the special grace of God, the Ondo Governor is here, he did well and the electorate are more sophisticated now so we have no fear about that”.

Speaking further on the meeting, Bagudu said: “This is a meeting with the national leadership of our party to discuss issues between the Governors’ Forum and party leadership that will lead to the progress of our party.

“On Edo, Ondo elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rolled out a time table and the national chairman is in a better position to speak on that”.