Embattled Governor Godwin Obaseki and his Ondo State colleague, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu finally met with APC’s leading chieftain Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Lagos on Sunday. But both returned to their bases disappointed.
Tinubu practically shattered their hope for a return ticket to their exalted seats. He urged them to submit themselves to the party which had rolled out its programmes for the forthcoming election in the two states.
Rather than weigh in on their behalf to retain the party’s ticket, Tinubu advised them to go out there to test their popularity in the party’s direct primary. The Edo State primary is scheduled for June 22.
The two governors and seven other colleagues had met with Tinubu at the State House Marina, Lagos. The meeting was hosted by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
At the meeting were governors Atiku Bagudu, Simon Lalong (Plateau), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun), Abubakar Bello (Niger) and Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos).
At the meeting Tinubu reportedly described democratic primary as a core element of internal democracy should not be jettisoned.
Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos, emphasised the importance of primary to democracy, admonishing party leaders to safeguard it in the preparation for the choice of standard bearers.
The Progressives Governors’s Forum, led by Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu, last week, unfolded plans, to mount pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari to support their push for right of first refusal to two of their colleagues, Akeredolu and Obaseki, for the governorship tickets of their respective states.
The polls will hold in Edo in September and Ondo in October. No fewer than 10 chieftains are competing for the ticket in Ondo APC with Akeredolu, who is seeking a second term.
In Edo, other contenders have stepped down for Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who is challenging Obaseki at the shadow poll. The Edo governor is also seeking re-election.
Last week, National Working Committee (NWC) announced that direct primary will be adopted for the Edo APC shadow poll.
According to a source at the meeting, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma could not make it due to undisclosed reasons.
The governors, who appeared to be in one accord, demanded that the party be fair to their colleagues, arguing that they should not be muscled out.
Specifically, the governors wanted Tinubu to prevail on the party leadership to give Obaseki the right of first refusal, the source said.
However, Tinubu went to the meeting with the position that it is better, more democratic, constitutionally right and politically defensible that all aspirants should go for primaries to test their popularity.
He added that through free and fair selection process, the ruling party will successfully build a strong democratic culture.
Tinubu, the source said, urged the governors to support the guidelines released by the NWC, maintaining that they are in the interest of the party.
Although some of the governors revisited the acrimony and controversy generated by the contrasting perspectives on the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole leadership, which they acknowledged as a battle within battles, Tinubu pointed out that it was normal in political life.
Besides, according to the source, the party stalwart counselled that since the conflict had been resolved, stakeholders should put the past behind them and forge ahead in harmony.
The source said Asiwaju Tinubu reiterated his belief in fairness to the incumbent governors and other interested governorship aspirants in the two states.
“Asiwaju also said he believed in the direct primary. His argument was that the direct primary will boost the confidence of the flag bearer as he prepares for the main governorship election.”
“Asiwaju Tinubu may have intervened in this sensitive nomination matter with a benefit of hindsight because as he rightly pointed out, direct primary produced Oyetola as Osun APC candidate and Babajide Sanwo-Olu as flag bearer in Lagos State.
“Besides, I think Asiwaju Tinubu is of the opinion that where there are more than one contender, primary should be adopted to foster equity, fairness and justice.”
After the meeting, Sanwo-Olu took the governors to see the photo exhibition of his activities in the last one year.
Source: The Nation