Edo, Ondo Guber: APC would emerge victorious — Nat Secretary, Basiru

The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ajibola Basiru has expressed confidence in the party’s level of preparedness towards the Edo and Ondo States gubernatorial elections.

Basiru who hinted that his party is formidable going into the polls also stated that he has confidence in God that his party would emerge victorious.

The APC National scribe made this known while addressing journalists at a media parley organised to interact with members of the press in commemoration of the 2024 Eid-el-Fitr in Osogbo on Saturday.

Basiru who revealed that the APC had successfully managed the primary election in Edo State, added that going by the latest statistics, the party is sure of claiming victory in the polls.

“We are working towards the successful gubernatorial primaries in Ondo State. We have already successfully managed the primaries in Edo state and by the grace of God, we are going to win the two states. Electorally, in the by-election that we did last, our party performed more than 75 percent than any other political party. That speaks to the serious work that our team (National Working Committee) is doing.

“In Ondo, the state is a one-party state. It is the state of our party. So, they struggle to win the ticket for our party. It is about struggling to get the ticket of our party because they know that the moment you get the APC ticket, you are home and dry. This is not a boastful venture. Go and check the House of Assembly results, go and check the Senate and House of Representatives results. Just as we did on Edo primary, we are going to manage whatever crisis that may come out of the selection process in a very mature and cordial manner in Ondo state, and to this, we must give kudos to the leadership role being played by Mr President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in giving moral authority to ensure that whatever crisis that emanates within the party, he tries to nip it in the bud.

“Some people thought we were already in a crisis in Edo State but within a week, we were able to resolve the matter amicably.”

On whether the impeached Edo State Deputy Governor and PDP gubernatorial aspirant, Philip Shaibu is joining the party or not, Basiru noted that the insinuation was still a mute question.

He added, “anybody that wants to join the party is free provided he or she writes to the appropriate arm to do so.

“There is free entry and exit in a political party. In politics, the more the merrier. The more people you can bring to your doorsteps, the more the merrier. What is even evolving in Edo state? Our gubernatorial candidate was a PDP member but he came to our party and for the first time, our party won the senatorial seat in the same senatorial seat that Tony Anenih came from and in the last national assembly election, our party won two out of three senatorial seats and even the third one was not won by the PDP but by Labour Party.

“So, it shows that our party is the party to beat in Edo state by the grace of God. We are confident that we are going to send Governor Godwin Obaseki and his tea-tipping politicians out of the Government House in Edo by the grace of God, come September 1, 2024.

“Though, the truth is this, we are repositioning our party in Osun and by the grace of God we are going to kick out the nitwit in the country home, come 2026”, Basiru said.