EXCLUSIVE: APC Governors meet, to endorse Obaseki, Akeredolu

TRACKING___Strong feelers coming from sources close to the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) say the governors of the All Progressives Congress, APC will make known, their endorsement for governors Godwin Obaseki of Edo state and Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state at their meeting billed for today.

This is coming on the heels of a purported endorsement of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as a gubernatorial candidate by a splinter group in the Edo state APC.

The meeting of the PGF, which will be held in Abuja after the meeting of the Nigeria Governors Forum is also meant to officially present a joint resolution on the matter to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Ahead of the meeting, Governors Mandate gathers that many of the governors are already converging at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja for the all-important meeting.

Meanwhile, Governor Godwin Obaseki is already in Abuja, the chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum, Kayode Fayemi is billed to land in Abuja this afternoon. Also, chairman of Progressives Governors Forum, Atiku Bagudu is also said to be airborne, en route Abuja.

Sources close to the governors said there is a high sense of solidarity within the ranks of the governors with many of them vowing not to allow their colleagues to suffer the “Ambode treatment” again. Ambode treatment is a derogatory reference to how former governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode was denied a second term ticket simply because he had a disagreement with powerful forces in the party’s leadership in Lagos.

They have vowed to resist any arrangement put in place by the Party hierarchy to jeopardize the chances of their colleagues in the forthcoming party primaries.

With governorship elections fast approaching in Edo and Ondo states, the two governors are facing a daunting challenge in their bids for re-election.

While Governor Obaseki is having a running battle with the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, a National leader of the Party from the Southwest is said to be promoting another aspirant to oust Governor Akeredolu for the APC ticket.

The governors of the party are however aversed to what they term a “stranglehold on party structures,” and also the disdain for them being the leaders of the party in their respective states.