Tony Osauzo, Benin
A pressure group, Obaseki/Shaibu Movement (OSM), committed to the re-election of Governor Godwin Obaseki, has backed the recently reconstituted reconciliation committee headed by Chief Bisi Akande to reconcile the warring parties in the All Progressives Congress (APC) across the country.
According to the group, the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to reconstitute the committee was a right step in the right direction, adding that Governor Godwin Obaseki had done well and deserves a second term.
Recall that the Obaseki’s faction of the Edo State APC had faulted three different committees set up by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to reconcile the warring factions in the party in Edo State, including the reconstituted one which was initially headed by the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan.
In a communiqué issued shortly after the meeting of the OSM in Benin and read by the convener of the group, Damian Lawani, the group said: “The leadership of OSM commends the good governance of His Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, that they have repositioned Edo State in the area of infrastructural development, education, job creation, security, healthcare, human capacity building and many more.
“The leadership also commended Mr President, Muhammadu Buhari, for his fatherly role in repositioning APC by way of fostering peace and unity amongst it and this has led to the appointment of Chief Bisi Akande, a seasoned politician, an elder statesman, a man of impeccable character to head the long-awaited APC national reconciliation committee.
“It is hoped that this committee will bring peace in its great quest to our party APC in Edo State and Nigeria in general. Furthermore, it is hoped that the wisdom and leadership style which President Muhammadu Buhari has displayed in setting up the APC national reconciliation committee be applied in all areas of APC in the conduct of the forthcoming election in Edo State, the gubernatorial primaries and other states affected in the area of elections.
“OSM believes strongly in the leadership of Mr Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu in Edo State and because they have performed creditably well, their second term is not negotiable. OSM as a body has therefore passed an absolute vote of confidence on the governor and his deputy with the aim and purpose of securing and supporting their second term in office come 2020,” the communiqué read.