President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, September 25, said he took responsibility for the defeat of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Saturday, September 19 Edo guber election, oyogist.com reports.
The Nigerian leader made this known at the State House after receiving Edo newly reelected governor, Godwin Obaseki, his deputy Philip Shaibu and some notable members of his supporters’ group.
The president said as the supreme leader of his party, he is always at the centre of discourse especially when his party loses some elections to the opposition parties.
President Buhari, however, noted that he is the leader of the country and there is a huge responsibility on him to ensure that the wishes of people prevail above the party interest.
According to him, that is the reason he gave a level ground for all the 14 candidates who participated in the governorship election which Obaseki of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won.
President Buhari said: ”We have lost states across the country. Now I don’t like to escape the responsibility, seeing as the leader of the country, I’m also the leader of my party, that I’m not leading the party very well.
‘I am trying to make sure that the party is built on a civilized basis, rule of law and respect for human rights and humanbeings.”
Meanwhile, Governor Godwin Obaseki has finally reacted to claims and reports that he is thinking of returning to the All Progressives Congress (APC) after winning the Edo gubernatorial election.
There have been controversial reports that the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s governorship candidate in the state, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, begged governor Obaseki to come back to the party, a claim which the governor’s rival has vehemently denied.
Governor Obaseki on Friday, September 25, put an end to this uncertainty when he spoke with journalists after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.
Obaseki told reporters that it will be immoral for him to return to the All Progressives, adding that this will make him lose his integrity.
Moreover, he made it clear that he will never return Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as the godfather of Edo politics.
The governor also said if nothing is done to clip the wings of Tinubu and Oshiomhole, they will destroy the country’s democracy.
Obaseki said: ”The challenge with people like Oshiomhole and Ahmed Tinubu is that they if they do not accept and change their style and attitude, they pose a big danger to our democracy because they are extra-constitutional players.
They constituted themselves into what they say they are without any constitutional responsibilities and try to overlord themselves over people who have constitutional authority and ifwe allow them to continue, it will destroy our democracy.”
