Obaseki’s loyalists back Bisi Akande reconciliation panel

With the political squabbles rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, chieftains of the party across the 18 local councils of the state yesterday commended President Muhammadu Buhari for setting up the reconciliation committee headed by former governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande to reconcile all aggrieved parties.

Leaders of the party also passed a vote of confidence on the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, and his deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu.

Supporters of the Obaseki /Shaibu Movement (OSM), a pressure group in the ruling party, who also welcomed the committee made the position known in a communiqué issued in Benin City ahead of the governorship election holding in the state this year.

The OSM sympathisers, led by the Commissioner for Youths and Special Duties in the Mr Damian Lawani, noted that their (Obaseki and Shaibu) re-election was not negotiable despite the increasing hostility in the state chapter of the party.

In the communiqué, Lawani said, “the wisdom and leadership style President Muhammadu Buhari displayed in setting up the APC National Reconciliation Committee would be applied in the conduct of the forthcoming gubernatorial primaries and other states affected in the areas of elections.”

He added: “OSM believes strongly in the leadership of Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu in Edo and because they have performed creditably well, their second term is not negotiable.”