In spite of the defection of Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo State from the APC, Kogi Gov. Yahaya Bello has boasted the party would take the state back.
Bello, who described the exit of Obaseki from the party as painful, said the power of incumbency would not guarantee victory for Obaseki as Nigerians had witnessed incumbent leaders including former President Goodluck Jonathan “dethroned”.
“We have seen those in power before that are dethroned, we have seen practically that President Muhammadu Buhari of APC dethrone PDP, the former President that was on 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,’’ Bello said while speaking to State House correspondents after a meeting of the governors of North-Central zone with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.
The zone comprises Niger, Plateau, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kwara and Benue states.
On June 19, Obaseki had joined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) when he led some of his appointees and supporters to the party secretariat in Benin City, Persecondnews recalls.
Bello, who chairs the Security Committee of the Northern Governors’ Forum, declared: “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 different angle and we are trying to make ourselves understand the points, that is just it, there is no misunderstanding.”
On the agenda of the governors meeting with the Chief of Staff, Kogi governor said the meeting was to congratulate him 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 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.
“Like we know earlier, security is 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,” Bello said.
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