Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state on Monday visited President Muhammadu Buhari.
The visit is coming ahead of the governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress, APC, scheduled for this month.
Although the meeting is ongoing as of the time of filing this report, it was gathered that the visit is aimed at seeking the intervention of the president in the political conflict between Obaseki and the National Chairman of the APC Adams Oshiomhole.
Oshiomhole is also a former governor of the state.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state on Monday arrives state house to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari.
The visit is coming ahead of the governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress, APC, scheduled for this month. pic.twitter.com/03xt1EQPgp
— Daily Trust (@daily_trust) June 1, 2020
Some governors, who are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have thrown their weight behind Obaseki.
Obaseki and his predecessor, Oshiomhole, have been at loggerheads over the governor’s second term bid and other issues.
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The feud between the Obaseki and Oshiomhole has polarised the party in Edo State.
Last Tuesday, the faction loyal to Oshiomhole endorsed Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, as its consensus candidate for the June 22 governorship primary election of the party.
Ize-Iyamu, widely seen as the preferred candidate of Oshiomhole, will now slug it out with Obaseki at the primary.
He was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s candidate in the 2016 gubernatorial election and only returned to APC in December, 2019.
However, some governors and their trusted allies said whether using direct or indirect primary mode to elect a candidate, they will ensure Obaseki picks the APC ticket and win the September governorship election.
They said they will not allow a repeat of the Lagos State scenario, where the then governor, Akinwumi Ambode was edged out in the build-up to the general elections in 2019.
Our correspondents report that Ambode was denied the APC ticket following his rift with the National Leader of the party, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
One of the governors, who does not want to be named, said: “We will support Obaseki using direct or indirect options. We will definitely support him.”
Oshiomhole mum
Attempts to speak to Comrade Oshiomhole on phone were not successful as he did not pick his calls.
He did not also respond to a text message sent to him at the time of filing this report.
Governors meet Tinubu ahead of primary
Some of the APC governors on Sunday met behind closed doors with the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the September governorship election in Edo State.
The meeting, it was learnt, was informed by the lingering crisis between Obaseki and Oshiomhole over the forthcoming party primary.
