17th June, 2020
By Michael Adeshina
The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki has made a crucial announcement that coincided with the suspension of his political adversary, Adams Oshiomhole, as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress.
An Appeal Court on Tuesday upheld the decision of the Federal Capital Territory High Court which in March ordered the suspension of Oshiomhole and also ordered him to stop parading himself as the national chairman of the party.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress immediately said its court-suspended chairman Adams Oshiomhole will hand over to Senator Abiola Ajimobi, deputy national chairman, for the south, who is right now critically ill in the hospital.
However, Obaseki took to his Twitter page to make a crucial announcement on Wednesday.
The governor revealed that he has not moved to a new political party.
Obaseki added that his main focus is to control the spread of COVID-19 ravaging the country and not the governorship election slated for September in his state.
He said: “I have not moved to a new platform yet to seek re-election.
“My focus now is to control the spread of the coronavirus (#COVID19) pandemic, which is ravaging our country and threatening our healthcare system.”
The latest announcement, however, shocked many who were expecting Obaseki to announce that he will seek re-election via the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
His movement to the PDP was even more anticipated following his resignation from the APC on Tuesday.
He announced his resignation from the APC after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari.
Obaseki stated that he took the decision after he was disqualified from the party’s primary by committees set up by Adams Oshiomhole.
However, Edo State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Tony Aziegbemi, on Monday, said Governor Godwin Obaseki and other top officials of the All Progressives Congress would soon join his party.
Aziegbemi’s statement appeared valid as Obaseki’s deputy, Shaibu, also announced his resignation from APC on Tuesday. But, in what is looking like a new twist, the All Progressives Congress said they have no record of Obaseki’s deregistration as of Tuesday.