Obaseki parleys Secondus, Wike, Tambuwal over defection

TRACKING___Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, met with National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus yesterday to finalise his movement to the party.

The meeting, which was held at the Abuja residence of Rivers State governor, has in attendance Governors Nyesom Wike and Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto as well as other PDP leaders.

Obaseki resigned from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday and is expected to join another political party to actualise his gubernatorial ambition. He is being touted to join PDP.

The party leadership met throughout Wednesday, and a party source said “all the grey areas were almost ironed out” to facilitate Obaseki’s defection.

According to the source, two out of the three aspirants who obtained the PDP nomination form for the June 20 governorship primary have accepted to step down for the governor.

Also, the party leadership acceded to the governor’s request to run with his deputy, Philip Shaibu in the September 19 Edo governorship.

Barely any last-minute change in plan, Obaseki is expected to join PDP in his ward, Oredo in Benin today.

Because of the short period of time left to the deadline given by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of party primaries, PDP may not convene its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to grant the governor waiver to run for the election.

“But NWC can meet and grant him the waiver,” the source added.

The PDP constitution provides that a new member shall spend not less than nine months with the party before he or she can be eligible to run for an office on the party’s platform except a waive is granted.

NEC is the only body that has the authority to grant such waiver but the National Working Committee (NWC) could grant the waiver subject to ratification by NEC.