Your Defection to PDP is Insignificant APC Reacts as Obaseki Officially Joins PDP

…Obaseki’s defection to PDP insignificant

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the defection of embattled Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as insignificant.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, told The Nation on telephone that Obaseki’s move to the PDP was never a surprise.

“It has not come to us as a surprise. We knew he had defected long ago because he resigned his membership of the party which we have accepted.

“So you can’t defect twice. So if he is defecting again, we don’t know whether what he has just done now is news any longer,” Issa-Onilu reacted.

Obaseki resigned from the APC after it’s screening committee disqualified him from the June 22 governorship primary.

The NWC last Saturday affirmed his disqualification by the screening and appeal committees.

Recall that the much-anticipated defection of Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took place on Friday in Benin, the state capital.

Obaseki was received at Edo Secretariat of PDP by National Vice Chairman, Southsouth of the party, Chief Emmanuel Ogidi, who was accompanied by Edo PDP chairman Dr. Tony Aziegbemi; members of the State Working Committee (SWC) and some chieftains of the party.

The reception of about ten minutes took place in Aziegbemi’s office.

But Obaseki declined to speak with reporters at the end of the ceremony.

The Governor was not accompanied by his deputy, Philip Shaibu but it was gathered he would be at the secretariat in Benin for formal defection later on Friday.

Obaseki, on Tuesday, resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) followed by Shaibu but PDP leaders are yet to approve the Deputy Governor’s request to be Obaseki’s running mate on the platform.

The three screened and cleared governorship aspirants of PDP in Edo Kenneth Imasuagbon, Gideon Ikhine and Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama have vowed not to step down for Obaseki.

They said they will slug it out at the primary where indirect mode would be used on June 23 at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin

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