Former Vice President and Chieftain of the PDP Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has placed a call to the Governor of Edo State Godwin Obaseki.
The Stallwart has asked Obaseki to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in his reelection bid.
TheCable understands that Atiku contacted Obaseki on Friday after he was disqualified from participating in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the September 19 governorship election in Edo state.
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The former Vice President, who was the PDP Flagbearer in the last Presidential election, is also making way for “soft landing” for Obaseki should he defect to the opposition PDP.
Although the PDP constitution requires any member of the party seeking elective position under its platform to at least be registered for 18 months, it gives room for a waiver.
Control TV source say that the former presidential candidate discussed Obaseki’s likely defection with some governors in the PDP.
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“The Waziri (of Adamawa Emirate which Abubakar was turbaned in 2018) is wooing Obaseki on behalf of PDP. He spoke with him yesterday and encouraged him to join the PDP,” the source said.
“He also spoke to some of the PDP governors and urged them to give him a soft landing and access to the party.”
Crusoe Osagie, Obaseki’s spokesman, did not immediately respond to enquiries on the issue when he was contacted on Saturday.
Jonathan Ayuba, chairman of the APC screening committee for the Edo governorship poll, had said the panel disqualified Obaseki over a “defective” certificate.
Obaseki has had a running battle with Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the APC who supported him in 2016.
Oshiomhole is believed to be backing Osagie Ize-Iyamu who has been named the consensus candidate of one of the APC factions in Edo.
(C) Control TV 2020.
