THE newly re-elected Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has reacted to insinuations that he may return to his former party, the All Progressives Congress soon, saying such action will affect his credibility negatively.
The governor indicated that his visit to President Muhammadu Buhari should not be misconstrued, as he had only visited to show his appreciation to the President, following the free and fair conduct of the September 19 governorship election in Edo State, which he won.
Obaseki made the clarification, while addressing State House Correspondents after a meeting with the President on Friday.
He also assured that he had no intention of replacing the former National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, as the new Godfather of Edo politics, saying that if he should go against his words, “I should be dealt with accordingly.”
His opponent in the election, Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the APC had earlier refuted reports that he asked Obaseki to return to the party.
The Point had reported that his campaign organisation debunked the report as fabrications of the governor and his party, the PDP.
But Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State had also told reporters that if Obaseki returned to APC, there was nothing unusual about it because “this is politics”. But he was quick to add that the governor would not take such an action because APC, according to him, is not a political party.
Obaseki had dumped the APC for the PDP after he was disqualified from participating in the party’s governorship primary election, on the basis of irregular certificates.
In response to questions on his possible defection, he said doing that would mean going against President Buhari’s stance on integrity.
