Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, have welcomed the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
KanyiDaily had reported that Governor Obaseki joined the PDP on Friday, after his recent resignation from the APC due to his qualification from the ruling party.
Saraki, in a statement issued by his media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu, welcomed Obaseki to the PDP and applauded his party members for their roles in ensuring that Obaseki defected to the party. He added:
“The bigger commendation and appreciation should go to the leaders of the Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the various levels for the sense of sacrifice, patriotism and devotion to the progress of the party demonstrated by them in the process of welcoming Obaseki into its fold.
“I also thank Obaseki’s colleagues, the PDP governors, for their role and for ensuring that while bringing him into the party, they carried along the local chapter and refrain from just unilaterally taking decisions without the input of the leaders of the party in Edo State.
“The process our governors adopted in working with the local chapter to bring in the Governor is a better approach than the system in many of the other parties where the National Working Committee (NWC) would simply just give him a membership card.”
Saraki further took a swipe at the suspended APC Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, saying he had continued to divide tye ruling party and would soon meet his waterloo.
“The truth is always constant and no matter how far falsehood travels, the truth will catch up with it one day.
“What is happening to Oshimhole now is a moment of truth. This same man who was garrulously proclaiming the end of the political career of some other people is now about to meet his waterloo.
“He has continued to use his mouth to divide his party and I believe there is a lesson for all politicians to learn from the fate of the suspended APC chairman.
“No autocrat can successfully pretend to be a Democrat. The true character of a man will come out one day,” Saraki said.
He added that all lovers of democracy should be interested in the emergence of a healthy and strong party system and organisation which would provide viable platforms for people to aspire and provide quality leadership to the country.
In a related development, Ike Ekweremadu has joined other officials of the PDP in welcoming Governor Obaseki to the party.
“No doubt, PDP offers the governor and good people of Edo State, not only a veritable platform for victory in the guber election, but also a sure path to peace, good governance, and speedy development. Together we’ll do it,” he tweeted.
KanyiDaily had reported that Governor Obaseki announced his resignation from the APC after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday, June 16, 2020.
His resignation comes days after the APC screening committee disqualified him from contesting in the party’s gubernatorial primaries scheduled to hold on June 22.
Obaseki’s disqualification was due to the committee’s judgement that the governor’s school leaving certificate and NYSC certificate are defective.
But is widely believed that the decision to disqualify the sitting governor was influenced by Adams Oshiomhole, the APC’s national chairman who is Obaseki’s political ally turned adversary.
The embattled governor had met with high-ranking personalities of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the past few days, and is believed to be headed to the main opposition party ahead of the September 19 governorship election.