Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State yesterday, visited President Muhammadu Buhari where he presented his re-election form on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to the president.
The visit comes a day after Obaseki met in Lagos with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, National leader of the party, alongside seven other governors. The APC gubernatorial primaries is slated for this month.
Obaseki who addressed journalists after the meeting said: “I came to see the President to formally inform him of my desire and intention to seek re-election as Governor of Edo State on the platform of the APC in the forthcoming gubernatorial election. Even though President Buhari is a father of our nation, it will be wrong to just assume or take things for granted so I have to formally inform him of my intention to re-contest and solicit his support in my gubernatorial bid.”
The governor said he has done well for his people and therefore, deserves another term of office.
“Well, I believe having served as governor for three years the jury is out, you can check with Edo people, whether as governor I have served creditably well. The consensus is that we have done well as a government and the people will like us to continue with the laudable programmes and polices which we have undertaken under the last three years.
“If you recall when I got into power as governor, one thing Edo was known for was human trafficking. We had over 30,000 of our citizens who were in Libya waiting to crossover to Europe. Today, in less than three years, we have stopped it.
“We are celebrated globally, and across the continent in terms of the reforms we have undertaken in basic education.. Those children, I can’t abandon them; we can’t stop what we have achieved to date. So, based on that, we believe that because of the connection which we have created with our people, we have no doubt in our minds that we will win any election, direct or indirect elections in Edo State,” he said.
Obaseki described as unfortunate the role of the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, is playing in the political crisis in the state, saying he was ready to do anything that will ensure peace in the state.
He said the political tussle in Edo State was not from within the state, but from outside. Obaseki described the political misunderstanding between him and Oshiohmole as unfortunate, saying however that he was ready to reach a truce with all aggrieved members of the APC.
“It is unfortunate that he (Oshiohmole) is taking the position he has taken. I believe that he was not properly guided. I am his governor and it is my responsibility to seek peace for my state and with all my citizens. I will continue to strive for peace, I will continue to pursue peace, seek the interest of our people and I am open, that we should talk about how to move things forward.
“The relationship is still frosty, but I am doing all I can to try and make it warm just for the sake of Edo people. I am committed to whatever it will take to have peace and not to lose lives in Edo. Within the law whatever I can do that is constitutional, I will do,’’ he said.
Obaseki said he had had the full support of all governors elected on the platform of the APC.
On the COVID-19 pandemic, the governor revealed that about 300,000 out of the targeted 500,000 indigenes of the state had so far been screened for Coronavirus disease.