The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, has denied the request by the embattled Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, to obtain an advantageous ‘right of first refusal’, which would see him secure a ticket for another term without contest.
The denial was announced on Sunday, when a Delegation from the Progressives Governors Forum led by its Chairman, the Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, led his colleagues to the APC National Leader, in Lagos.
The Delegation of State Governors that accompanied Governor Obaseki to Lagos, were Governors Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun), and Simon Lalong (Plateau).
He was told by the former Governor of Lagos State, to abandon the quest to circumvent party’s processes, and prepare himself for a participation in the direct primary election, as directed by the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party, at a meeting held on Sunday, at Lagos House, Marina, according to reliable sources.
A visibly distressed Obaseki was reportedly begging frantically at the meeting, for a special consideration.
A close Associate of the National Leader, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, posted on his Facebook page saying: “Just confirmed that Governor Obaseki was sweating and practically begging, and pleading with Asiwaju, to intervene on his behalf, but they said Edo is not Lagos.”