After Obaseki’s disqualification from the race for the ticket of the APC in the September governorship election in Edo State, Governor Godwin Obaseki, at the weekend, began talks with the PDP to actualise his second term bid.

Tto secure the gubernatorial ticket of the party, Obaseki on Saturday night met with the Chairman of the main opposition party, Prince Uche Secondus, and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
He followed this up yesterday with a visit to Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, who is very influential in the party.

After the meeting with Wike, Obaseki left for Uyo where he met behind closed-doors with his Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Mr. Udom Emmanuel.

Obaseki and Wike met behind closed-doors at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
Notwithstanding his talks with the opposition, Obaseki has said he would not take any decision on his political future until after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

However, APC governors, under the auspices of Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), have resolved to intervene in the crises rocking the party’s chapters in Edo and Ondo states.

Sources confided that the meetings were part of the efforts to secure serious commitment and soft landing from the PDP leaders before Obaseki would take the final decision to join the party.

A source privy to the meetings said that the governor would also meet the five PDP governors from the South-south in Port Harcourt, as well as all Edo State governorship aspirants of the party.

According to sources, Obaseki’s meeting with Secondus and members of NWC of the party was not conclusive as he was told to meet other stakeholders of the party.

The source said it was in continuation of the high-level meetings that the embattled governor visited Wike yesterday and would also meet the PDP South-south governors to seek their support in joining PDP.

According to the source, Edo State governor would between yesterday and today meet with PDP South-south governors in Port Harcourt.

The source said the choice of Port Harcourt as the venue of the meeting was strategic because the views of Wike would be needed.

The source added that this was because one of the major stakeholders in Edo State PDP and a former state Chairman of the party, Mr. Dan Orbih, is close to Wike.

Orbih, who has always been anti-Obaseki, is said to have thrown his structures behind Hon. Omoregie Ihama, who is the favourite of the three aspirants, if the choice Obaseki is eventually ruled out.

Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Paulinus Nsirim, confirmed the meeting with Wike, but said he was yet to ascertain the reason for Edo State governor’s visit.

He said: “It is true that Obaseki is here but for now, I cannot say why he is here.

But whatever is the matter, we will let you know in due course.”

Obaseki also visited Akwa Ibom State yesterday and met behind closed-doors with Governor Udom Emmanuel, as part of his consultations with PDP leaders.

The governor reportedly arrived the Government House in Uyo at about 4.00 p.m.

Sources told THISDAY that Obaseki left at about 6.00 p.m after a meeting with Emmanuel.

Details of the meeting were not disclosed as the visit was said to be a “private visit.”

While Obaseki was still holding talks with top PDP leaders, it was gathered that the Igbinedions (Gabriel and Lucky) have started mobilising support for him, alongside. Chief Tom Ikimi; but it could not confirm this claim.

After that round of meeting with PDP governors, Obaseki would hold another round of meeting with the three governorship aspirants of the party.

The tree aspirants, Omoregie Ihama, Gideon Ikhine and Kenneth Imasuagbe, paid the mandatory N21 million governorship and expression of interest forms to signify their intention to run.

The trio were screened by the Hon. Kingsley Chinda-led committee, but for strategic reasons not unconnected with the ongoing talks with Obaseki, the outcome of the screening is not yet out.

The reason for the meetings is to ensure all stakeholders are on the same page on Obaseki’s quest so as to forestall any crisis that may arise if all stakeholders are not carried along before the governor’s defection.

The source said: “If everything goes as planned, we are looking for a consensus ticket for Godwin Obaseki at the June 22 primary election, where the delegates will affirm his candidature.”

Though PDP has been in the opposition in Edo State for 12 years now, it does not want to make any mistake now that the opportunity has presented it to return to power since APC is seriously divided.

“We are aware that APC has a big financial machine behind it and they know the implications of the outcome of the September 19 governorship election on the political future of the APC National Chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole.

“If APC loses Edo gubernatorial election, it means that under Oshiomhole, the party lost Rivers, Zamfara, Bayelsa and Edo states due to internal wranglings under him.

“This could cause him the office of the national chairman and affect his political future.

“And Ondo State governorship election may follow such bandwagon. Therefore, APC would like to come out strong with huge financial war chest and none of the three PDP governorship aspirants are strong enough to meet APC financial bulldozer.

“It was for this reason that PDP will present a candidate that has the financial strength to meet APC challenge in this matter. We have to present the best in terms of acceptability and financial muscle.

“None of the three as at now can meet this challenge.

“If everything goes as planned, it is expected that Obaseki could be asked to choose a deputy running mate from one of the three aspirants that are not from Edo South and others would be compensated with political appointments for themselves and their followers,” the source stated.

It was learnt that after critical stakeholders of the party had reached a consensus to admit Obaseki, PDP NWC would grant him waiver, depending on what was agreed on, to smoothen his emergence as the party’s governorship candidate.

Obaseki to Take Decision after Meeting Buhari

Obaseki has said he would unveil his next step after meeting with the president following his disqualification by APC.

In a tweet on his Twitter handle yesterday, 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 said.

THISDAY

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