2020 Polls: We Can’t Afford to Lose Edo, Oshiomhole is on His Own –APC NWC
POLITICS DIGEST – A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) has said that the party’s National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, is on his own on the plot to deny the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki’ the party’s governorship ticket in 2020
The NWC member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the scenario that played out in Kogi State will repeat itself in Edo State next year.
According to the NWC member, the APC National Women Leader, Hajiya Salamatu Baiwa never wanted the Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to have the second term ticket of the party but she was disappointed as all the NWC members agreed that Bello should fly the ticket of the party.
The Working Committee member said that some of them have advised the party’s National Chairman to back out from the war against the Edo State governor, as the party cannot afford to lose the state to another party.
According to the party chieftain, no other candidate can win election for the party next year outside the incumbent governor.
The national party officer stated that it will be monumental risk for the NWC members to support the party Chairman to take away the party’s governorship ticket from Obaseki.
The member argued that even those who didn’t perform like the Edo State governor were given ticket for their second term.
Last week, the APC stakeholders in Edo State endorsed the governor for second term.
Their endorsement came on the heels of the of blame trade between supporters of the governor, Godwin Obaseki and his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole, after the attacks on them.
The APC National Chairman had accused the governor of sending his supporters to attack him at his (Oshiomhole’s) residence in Benin City.
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Similarly, the governor last two weeks accused the APC National Chairman of sending thugs to attack him (Obaseki) at Iyamoh, the country home of (Oshiomhole) with other dignitaries after a convocation lecture at Edo University.
Since the beginning of this year, the APC National Chairman and his political godson have been on loggerhead over the Edo State APC leadership.
The strife has affected the Edo State House of Assembly as the membership are divided between Oshiomhole and Obaseki.
Speaking, the APC Working Committee member said that some of them have advised their chairman to let go the supremacy tussle in Edo State.
The source said, “There is no way we will join the National Chairman to fight the Edo State governor.
” Governor Obaseki is one of the APC governors, who could be said to be doing well.
To deny him the party’s governorship ticket next year because of the National Chairman is tantamount to say that we don’t want APC to governor Edo State.
“We encountered such situation in Kogi State, where the National Women Leader was hell bent on not allowing the Kogi State governor to secure the governorship ticket for reelection. That didn’t work and the plot by our national chairman to stop Obaseki might not work as
Further speaking, the NWC member also said that the APC governors were not in support of Oshiomhole against the Edo State governor.
According to them, the governors would queue behind Obaseki and it will be difficult for NWC members to go contrary.
The member said, “You should also know how the governors work
“The governors will always support their own and this has been proven over the
“One of the things you have to know is that the governors believe that an injustice to one is an injustice to all, therefore, they will not allow injustice against any of their
“The case of the former Lagos State governor, Akinwumi Ambode, who was denied second term ticket by the party may not be able to play out
“Anybody who wants to play political godfather will not use the NWC to do that.”
 National Working Committee (NWC) has said that the party’s National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, is on his own on the plot to deny the Edo State){kind=link}