Godwin Obaseki,
governor of Edo, says the problems in the state are the handiwork of Adams
Oshiomhole, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The governor made
the allegation while addressing journalists after he presented his nomination
and expression of interest forms to President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday.
Obaseki said his
re-election bid is not contended by forces within the state, but from those in
Abuja.
He described as
“misguided”, Oshiomhole’s position as APC national chairman, but added that he
would seek peace as the governor of the state.
“The problem in Edo
is not from within Edo, it is from outside. So I don’t see the person I am
competing or contesting against he’s not in Edo, he is Abuja,” he said.
“It is unfortunate,
the position he (Adams Oshiomhole) has taken I believe that he was misguided,
well not properly guided and as governor, his governor, it is my responsibility
to seek peace for my state and with all my citizens.
“I will continue to
strive for peace, I’ll continue to pursue peace, seek and interest of our
people. I’m open, I will always call that we should talk about how to move
things forward. We cannot turn back the hands of the clock. So there are
certain things we just must accept and see how we can move forward and build
on, where we are.”
Obaseki said his
administration has performed well in the last three years.
He said Buhari
assured him of his support, adding that APC governors have also endorsed his
re-election bid.
“Well, I believe
having been governor of the state for three years and the jury’s out, you can
check with Edo people whether as Governor, I have served credibly, I have
served the people of Edo,” he said.
“The general
consensus is that we have done well as a government and that people would like
us to continue with the laudable programs and policies which we have been
taking over in the last three years.
“The president was
quite warm, was quite welcoming when I showed him my special interest forms, he
looked through it and said he would not have to go through this again and
wished me good luck and assured me of his support.
“In terms of the
support by APC governors, it’s unanimous, all APC governors decided and agreed
that as a party where you have an incumbent Governor particularly, if he is
doing well they should run around and support him, and it’s a common practice
all over the world.
“In American
politics, particularly young politicians coming to the see the older politicians who endorse the
candidates. So the other Governors have in essence endorsed me. That is what it
means.”
Obaseki will go head
to head with Osagie Ize-Iyamu, his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rival in
2016, for the APC governorship ticket ahead of the September election.
Ize-Iyamu had
emerged consensus governorship aspirant of Oshiomhole’s APC faction.
But the Edo state
government had described his emergence as “a joke taken too far.”
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