- As Tinubu, Amaechi, El-Rufai, Fayemi, others, battle for the soul of the party.
Even as there is favourable moves to bring him back to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and give him the gubernatorial ticket for the September 19, 2020 election in the State, Governor Godwin Obaseki is still apprehensive that the unending litigation in the party might ruin his second term ambition.
For this fear, Governor Obaseki is keeping the two windows wide open, not rejecting the attractive Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) carrot while not closing that of APC totally, even though he has resigned his membership publicly since Tuesday.
Dependable sources confirmed to Global Upfront Newspapers (GUN) on Wednesday that Governor Obaseki has not closed talks with PDP whose National Working Committee (NWC) is on standby to grant him waiver to enable him participate in the PDP primaries scheduled for this weekend in Edo State.
Our source also confirmed that Governor Obaseki is talking with his former party but he is unsure who is really in charge with the multiplicity of claims to the throne.
GUN learnt that Obaseki’s heart is still in APC if his traducers, the suspended National Chairman Adams Oshiohmole can be finally given exit seat, but fears that unsettled cases might injure him in the end.
Governor Obaseki wants an assurance that the critical stakeholders of the party, The Presidency and Progressive Governors Forum are fully behind him before he can return.
Obaseki’s supporters wants him to turn back on APC finally because of the uncertainties surrendering it and move on with the PDP that the people of Edo are already psychologically tuned to embrace wholeheartedly.
GUN’s political analyst describes the situation in APC now as dicey, unclear, with all the critical stakeholders and statutory organs of the party polarized along interest lines.
According to the analyst, “the NWC is divided, ditto NEC and the forum of APC Governors. Presently, there are three acting National Chairmen appointed by different interest groups, former Governor of Oyo State Ajumobi lying critically ill of COVID-19 is the choice of the party’s faction of NWC. Gaidom, the deputy National Secretary is standing on the interpretations of the Appeal court ruling to claim the throne. Another character, Hillard Eta is also laying claim.
GUN also learnt that some strong characters like Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu of Lagos State, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Governor of Kaduna State Nasir El-Rufai and his Ekiti State counterpart and of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Kayode Fayemi, are behind the scene struggling for the soul of the ruling party. Going by the underpinnings in the ruling party, if Governor Obaseki miscalculates, he might be consumed in the crossfire.