Obaseki visits President Buhari, rules out possibility of returning to the APC

Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki with his Deputy, Comrade Philip Shuaibu and other party supporters on Friday, paid a thank you visit to President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja

Receiving them, President Buhari said as the leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, he would not escape taking responsibility for the loss of Edo State in the just concluded governorship election by his party to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

He stated that his single desire was to make sure that innocent people didn’t suffer, hence, he sent a message across to the Inspector General of Police, that elections must be free and fair.

He further said that it was the decision of contestants in elections with stupendous money to spray it if they so desired, but warned that nobody should raise a counter force to the government and arm thugs who would be under the influence of drugs to humiliate people..

It would be recalled that Governor Obaseki, who was disqualified by the APC to contest the party’s primary, decamped to the PDP and was declared winner of the September 19, election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Speaking during the visit, the President said he would want Nigerians to appreciate that he respects them as Nigerians and was bound by the oath he took, that their security was in the hands of God and in the hands of the government he is leading.

According to him, “I thank you for bringing your deputy and supporters to come and see me after beating my party. I am supposed to preside over all Nigerian interests whether I like it or not, but my single desire is to make sure that innocent people don’t suffer. That message I got across to the Inspector General of Police, that elections must be free and fair.

“If contestants have too much money and they decide to spray, so be it. But what I insist is, nobody should go and raise a counter force to the government, arm heavily-drugged thugs to go and humiliate people.”

 “I want Nigerians to appreciate that I respect them as Nigerians and that I am bound by the oath I have taken, that their security is in the hands of God and in the hands of the government, which I am leading.”

The President noted that as the leader of the governing party, and despite the fact that the party has lost some states in elections, he wishes to leave behind a political culture based on integrity.

 “We have lost states across the country. Now I do not like to escape the responsibility, seeing as the leader of the country, I am also the leader of my party, that I am not leading the party very well.

“I am trying to make sure that the party is built on a civilized basis, rule of law and respect for human rights and human beings, right from polling units to local governments, to states up to Abuja and that’s what I have been insisting as my contribution to the National Working Committee and executive of the party.

“I know we are a developing country, a developing economy and trying to develop our political culture. I want the development of political culture to be based on integrity and accountability. Let people work very hard and earn what they are looking for through their hard work and through fair competition.”

Buhari jokingly added that he was congratulating the Edo governor “reluctantly” because he defeated the candidate of his party, the All Progressives Congress.

In his remarks, Governor Obaseki thanked the President for ensuring that fair play reigned during the election which saw him victorious.

“You would recall a couple of weeks before the election, I came to see you and you assured me that we were going to have a free, peaceful and credible election. That is what we had during the election of 19th September and the whole world has acclaimed that Edo election was perhaps one of the best conducted in recent times in Nigeria. This could not have been possible without your insistence that the right things be done, and for that, we want to say thank you very much.”

Obaseki also thanked the President Buhari for his congratulatory message, assuring him that the message “has been internalized, that it is God that made this election possible, therefore I should be humble about the election and also magnanimous in victory.”

He pledged his unalloyed loyalty and support and that of the people of Edo State to the President and the federal government.

Speaking later in an interview with State House correspondents, Governor Obaseki ruled out the possibility of him returning to the APC, saying that it would be immoral and lack of integrity to do so. He said he would lose his integrity if he returns to the APC, adding that leaving the PDP for the APC goes against Buhari’s gospel of integrity.

 “This morning (Friday) we were privileged to meet with the President, essentially to express the gratitude of Edo People, myself and my deputy for the role for the conduct of gubernatorial elections in Edo State. He insisted that Nigeria should have proper elections, credible elections, free and fair elections and that is what happened.

“So, this morning we are here in the Villa to show our profound gratitude and appreciation for this, which on the surface will look normal but the implications are very far reaching. Because this is a sitting president whose party’s was contesting an election and insisted that the right thing be done and a level playing field be created for contestants.

“By doing so, that singular action has deepened our democracy, far beyond what we can understand and imagine today. So, for that act alone, we felt we must come and say thank you. I am not just coming along with my deputy, we came to say thank you with the representatives of Edo people – our senators, members of the House of Representatives, our senior citizens and party leaders.

“Mr. President in his characteristic humorous manner said he reluctantly congratulated me for beating his party. He also pointed out that his role first we foremost as president of Nigeria, is to be president of all regardless of your party, race, tribe, creed. We couldn’t ask for more from Mr. President, he really played the role of Statement.”

Asked if he would consider returning to the APC as the elections were over, he said, “The answer to your question, gleaning from the comments of Mr. President, he said that he wants to leave a democracy that is built on integrity, accountability and hard work. Those were his words and I subscribe totally to that.

“It will not show integrity, it will not demonstrate somebody that has ethical or moral foundation to do what you asked about. I couldn’t have contested on one a party, won on that party and then consider moving to another party. It is not the kind of thing to do, it’s not the right thing to do and I am sure you will not encourage me to do that.”

Responding to a question on whether he will consider replacing the godfather, he said, “In the case of godfathers in our politics, I have said in several fora that the whole concept of godfatherism is very dangerous to our democracy. And that is why when we came into the political fray 2006/2007, the mantra then was to get rid of godfathers from our political life.

“The reason is simple; the godfather has no constitutional responsibility, the godfather acts outside the constitution and controls people who are constitutional players. So, if we allow that sort of situation to continue, it will be worse than military rule.

“When people who have nothing at stake, no checks and balances just arbitrarily decide that this is the way the constitution should be interpreted or constitutional players should operate, that’s why problems come in. God forbid I become a godfather, I should be dealt with accordingly because it’s dangerous to the concept of democracy.”

Speaking on the unification of Edo people after the elections, he said, “It is really unfortunate that there is so much bitterness and I can assure that most of it did not come from my camp because we were not desperate but that is neither here nor there. We also have to appreciate the role of social media, since COVID-19, the import and the impact of social media technology is at all time high.

“So, it’s not that in the past such hurtful words, hateful speeches were not used but it was never at the level of proliferation and spread as it has had now because of social media. We will continue to try and heal the land, fortunately, it doesn’t show that Edo people are divided, it shows essentially that Edo people have come together under one umbrella, that is what the election has shown.

“We will continue to those who are outside our umbrella to work with us for the benefits of our people. Cause, what is the purpose of election anyway, is it not a contest for who will rule the people better. If the results of this election has shown that Edo people trust that I will at this point in time be able to govern Edo better, give them what they want at this time, then my people is that everybody should join me so as to be able to accomplish that goal.”

On his focus in second tenure even though he was at a point described by the opposition as MOU governor, Obaseki said, “Well, we have done quite a lot of work in another four years. What we have done has been foundational; we have laid the foundation for the new Edo State.

“So, whether it is in the area of education, we are trying to reenact education in the state so that the next generation will be better prepared for the future, so that they are not pruned to being trafficked, prune to illegal migration, that foundation has been set. Basic education is one of the best what we have to do is build on other levels of education.

“In the area of infrastructure we have done phenomenally well but there is so much more to be done. We have invested with some partners on fibre for instance. Edo has one of the largest and longest fibre plantations today, we have more than four million kilometres of fibre.

“So that investment alone has been preparing us for post-COVID industrial revolution. Those are the kind of things we are going to do whether is in agriculture, arts and culture. That is one area we really didn’t talk about during the campaigns, we working very hard with all the major museums in the world to document Edo works across the world and have an arrangement where some of them will be repatriated back into the state for our people to see what they created in times past.

“So, we are going to sign more MOUs because that is the basis for running government of the future. Because, the ones we have signed most of them have materialized.”