The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, on Tuesday, June 23, tackled his colleagues, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State over decamping to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and he predicted the All Progressives Congress (APC) will sweep wins for the part in Edo and Anambra States.
Bello said the party was also set to win the Governorship elections in Ondo, Osun and Ekiti States.
He spoke Monday after governors from the north central region met with President Muhammadu Buhari’s chief of staff, Ibrahim Gambari.
“We will take Anambra State and record it as a second APC state from the South East and integrate our Igbo brothers into the fold and we are going to take Ekiti and Osun once again,” he said.
He spoke about the defection of Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State to the People’s Democratic Party.
Read his remarks to journalists at the presidential villa, Abuja:
Question: You are head of a special committee set up by Northern Governors Forum, what efforts will individual states to make sure that the region is safer?
Bello: Like we know earlier, security is topmost priority of this administration and we are doing our best to ensure that the nation is secured. As Northern Region governors, we met and decided that we must tackle insecurity head on. So basically, my committee is to liaise with the various security agencies and security operatives to ensure that the necessary security architecture is put in place and to ensure that at the end of the day, we get the best secured region and that of the country at large.
Question: How was your meeting with the Chief of Staff?
Bello: We came to congratulate him over the appointment and that we will continue to collaborate with him as North Central governors and we will continue to provide necessary data and information that will guide him in discharge of his duties and responsibilities and to guide Mr. President as far as the region is concerned. So basically that is what we came for.
Question: Crisis in APC?
Bello: Our party is one solid party. In a particular big family like that, you won’t rule out any misunderstanding in one way or the other. But I can assure you that our party is strong under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari and as a father, he is already looking into it and I can assure you that we are going to come out very strong.
We are going to go to Edo State and we shall win Edo state election overwhelmingly for APC, we are going to go to Ondo State and win it overwhelmingly for APC. We will take Anambra State and record it as a second APC state from the South East and integrate our Igbo brothers into the fold and we are going to take Ekiti and Osun once again.
So, we are going to continue to expand our coast. So, APC is strong we are not divided, we are only seeing one same point from different angle and we are trying to make ourselves understand the points, that is just it, there is no misunderstanding.
Are you not afraid of the power of incumbency in Edo State?
We have seen that in power before that are dethroned, we have seen practically that President Muhammadu Buhari of APC dethrone PDP, the former President that was on seat. So, that is not any trouble at all. APC is going to win Edo State. But unfortunately, I really felt the leaving of my colleague, His Excellency governor Godwin Obaseki in whatever circumstance to another political party, it is painful anyway, but as a political party we are going to take it back.
