Edo crisis: Ojezua denied access to scheduled APC meeting with Buhari in Aso Rock

2020: APC Not At Risk In Edo, Says Oshiomhole
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met with Col. David Imuse (rtd), the Edo State All Progressive Congress (APC) chairman loyal to the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

The meeting is a follow-up to the one held on Thursday involving President Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the APC governors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Oshiomhole and Imuse were among the 35 APC state chapter chairmen who attended the meeting with the President yesterday.

Whereas, Anslem Ojezua, the party chairman loyal to Godwin Obaseki, came to the villa for the meeting, he was not allowed access as he was turned back from the gate.

His efforts to argue his case with a court ruling recognizing him, could not persuade presidency security aides to grant him access.

Imuse introduced himself to the President as the Edo State APC chairman before the commencement of the meeting inside the council chamber.

Like the one held on Thursday, there was no official correspondence on the purpose of the parley at press time.

The Governors who attended the meeting on Thursday were Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Nasiru El-Rufai (Kaduna), Gbenga Oyetola (Osun) and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun). Kogi State was represented by the Deputy Governor, Edward Onoja.

They however declined to speak to newsmen at the end of the meeting as, one by one, they filed out of the Council Chambers accompanied by the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.

Meanwhile, APC national Chairman declared yesterday that contrary to insinuations, the party was not at the risk of losing in the 2020 governorship elections in Edo State.

Addressing State House correspondents after yesterday’s meeting of the APC State Chairmen with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Oshiomhole said that the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) forces that could have constituted stumbling blocks for the APC in Edo State had since joined their ancestors.

He said people of Edo State have accepted the ruling party and that the stakeholders were poised to amicably resolve the internal crisis.

The APC national Chairman explained that the 36 State Chairmen of the party and the FCT were at the State House to congratulate President Buhari on his victory at the Appeal Court.