Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State.

…Says power of incumbency won’t guarantee victory

…Adds: APC’ll win Anambra, Ondo

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

GOVERNOR Yahaya Bello of Kogi State yesterday said that the All Progressives Congress, APC, will take Edo State back from Governor Godwin Obaseki who recently defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Bello said that the power of incumbency will not guarantee victory for Obaseki, adding that Nigerians have witnessed incumbent leaders including former President Goodluck Jonathan “dethroned” from their positions.

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The Kogi State Governor who spoke with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting between the North Central geopolitical zone governors and the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, enthused that the APC will also take over Anambra State.

Commenting on the crisis in the APC, Bello said, “Our party is one solid party. In a particularly big family like that, you won’t rule out any misunderstanding in one way or the other. But I can assure you that our party is strong under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari and as a father, he is already looking into it and I can assure you that we are going to come out very strong.

“We are going to go to Edo State and we shall win Edo state election overwhelmingly for APC, we are going to go to Ondo state and win it overwhelmingly for APC. We will take Anambra State and record it as a second APC state from the South East and integrate our Igbo brothers into the fold and we are going to take Ekiti and Osun once again.

“So, we are going to continue to expand our coast. So, APC is strong we are not divided, we are only seeing one same point from a different angle and we are trying to make ourselves understand the points, that is just it, there is no misunderstanding.”

Asked if he was not afraid of the power of incumbency in Edo State, he said, “We have seen those in power before that are dethroned, we have seen practically that President Muhammadu Buhari of APC dethroned PDP, the former President (Dr Goodluck Jonathan) that was on the seat.

“So, that is not any trouble at all. APC is going to win Edo State. But unfortunately, I really felt the leaving of my colleague, His Excellency Governor Godwin Obaseki in whatever circumstance to another political party. It is painful anyway, but as a political party we are going to take it back.”

It will be recalled that the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Comrade Phillip Shaibu had at the heat of the campaign for the re-election of Governor Bello knelt down at the campaign ground to beg Kogi people to forgive Bello in any way he had offended them and vote for him.

On the agenda of the North Central Governors meeting with the Chief of Staff, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, he said that the meeting was to congratulate the Chief of Staff on his appointment.

“We came to congratulate him over the appointment and that we will continue to collaborate with him as North Central governors and we will continue to provide necessary data and information that will guide him in the discharge of his duties and responsibilities and to guide Mr President as far as the region is concerned. So basically that is what we came for,” he said.

Governor Bello who was recently appointed as the head of a special committee set up by Northern Governors Forum said that individual states within the zone will ensure that the area is safe.

He said,” As we know earlier, Security is the topmost priority of this administration and we are doing our best to ensure that the nation is secured. As Northern Region governors, we met and decided that we must tackle insecurity head-on.

“So basically, my committee is to liaise with the various security agencies and security operatives to ensure that the necessary security architecture is put in place and to ensure that at the end of the day, we get the best-secured region and that of the country at large.”

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