Edo2020: Why I Didn’t Campaign Against Obaseki – Fayemi

Chairman Of Governors Forum Can Never Campaign Against A Sitting Governor – Fayemi

Ekiti state governor and chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi has spoken on why he did not campaign against Godwin Obaseki in the just concluded governorship election in Edo state.

He said campaigning for APC during the election would have amounted to campaigning against his colleague, Governor Godwin Obaseki who ran on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Obaseki polled a total of 307, 955 votes to defeat All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Osagie Ize-Iyamu who got 223, 619 votes, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

However, speaking with journalists in Lagos, Fayemi said he could not campaign for the APC in the election because his role as chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum does not allow him to campaign against any sitting governor who is seeking reelection.

He said those who are allowed to do so are the chairmen of the APC Governors Forum headed by Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi and Aminu Tambuwal who is the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum.

“I have been accused for example that I was not seen in Edo campaigning for my party or jumping around the rostrum. That is true. One, I have COVID-19 around that time and two, there is`a golden, unspoken rule in the Nigerian Governors Forum which is, the chairman of the Governors Forum does not campaign against a sitting governor”.

“Most people don’t know this but the chairman of the NGF can never campaign against a sitting governor running for election anywhere because my job is to protect, defend and to support a sitting governor whether of PDP, APC or APGA”.

“But the partisan forums, they have no apology about that. The job of Bagudu is to go and campaign for any APC governor running for office and it is the job of Tambuwal to do that for PDP governors. The NGF is about interest or issues that affect governors collectively”.