- optimistic that if PDP gathers 5000 members, the governor would allow 150 in each wards
- Obaseki won’t use COVID-19 to stop APC primaries, Oshiomhole says
The National Chairman of the All progressives Congress (APC) Adams Oshiomhole says he is confident that the governor, Godwin Obaseki would not discriminate against the APC.
It could be recalled that Obaseki had signed a gazette prohibiting the gathering of more than 20 people anywhere in the state in one of his effort to halt the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Edo State currently has a total of 580 confirmed cases of COVID-19 making it the fourth highest hit state, according to Monday record.
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Obaseki’s spokesman, Crusoe Osagie had said in a statement that the government would not hesitate to enforce “strict compliance” with the law of gathering in the state.
Crusoe said, “We need to be alive to play politics; we need to live to vote and be voted for in the election. The rules to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the gazette must be strictly followed by all political parties in the state as the government will not condone any form of violation of the provisions of the gazette by any person or group of persons.
“We’re once more warning persons intent on rubbishing the gains made in curtailing the spread of COVID-19 and compromising our healthcare system to be assured that the full weight of the law would run its cause,” Mr Osagie said in the statement.
However, Oshiomhole on Monday is optimistic that Obaseki would have no reason to discriminate against the APC from having 100 to 150 people queuing to vote in each of the wards during the primary if he allows the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from gathering closed to 5000 delegates at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City.
Oshiomhole addressed journalist after his meeting on Monday with Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said “He, (Obaseki) is our governor. We are law-abiding. But if PDP can conduct activities across 192 wards with the same law, I don’t think our governor will discriminate against his own party. So, we are hopeful that everything will be peaceful,” Mr Oshiomhole said.
“The PDP would be using indirect election for their primary, while APC adopted direct primary which Governor Obaseki kicked against.
Mr Oshiomhole explained why the APC did not accept the use of indirect primary as canvassed by the Edo governor.
“I’m sure you will agree that our President led by example when we conducted direct primary in the last presidential election.
“We still went to Eagle Square for affirmation. So, if the President did not have the right of first refusal because our constitution does not provide for it, we cannot under any circumstances now bend the rules when it comes to some people and change the rule when it comes to others,” he said.
Obaseki’s battle with Oshiomhole reached a boiling point on Friday after Oshiomhole’s led NWC disqualified the governor from partaking in the governorship primary in Edo State on the ground of alleged discrepancies on his certificates.
Since the disqualification, the governor had met with some members of the Peoples Democratic Party, including the governor of Rivers State, Nyesome Wike and Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State.
His meeting has fuelled the speculations that he might be planning to defect to the main opposition to achieve his political ambition.
When asked about Obaseki’s alleged exit, Oshiomhole said “I don’t know about (his) exit.
“What we see from your media, electronic and print, is that he visited a number of PDP governors. We read from electronic and print that those consultations may have to do with his plan and so on. But we are not here to speculate. Our party is not a party of big men. It is governed by rules.”
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