Baring last minute change of mind, governors under political platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), may have resolved to back the second term ambition of Governor Yahaya Bello, during the party primaries for the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State.

The governors also resolved to support their Edo State counterpart, Governor Godwin Obaseki, ahead  his state election next year, Sunday INDEPENDENT can authoritatively reveal.

Details of this resolution came after Thursday stakeholders’ meeting of some APC governors and some party stalwarts in Lokoja, Kogi State.

While the meeting in Lokoja ended in what appeared to be Bello’s blanket endorsement after he had unified APC’s warring factions in the state, the governors reportedly had a private caucus meeting where they hinted of an impending meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari over current party chairman, Adams Oshiomole’s feud with Obaseki.

Essentially, their meeting with the president was to plead with him to prevail on Oshiomhole to have re-think on the ongoing disagreement between him and Obaseki.

Prominent among the APC governors at the Kogi meeting were Mai-Mala Buni, Yobe State and Atiku Bagudu, Kebbi State. Some of the governors, who could not be at the meeting, reportedly sent their deputies.

It was gathered that the party stakeholders hinged APC’s survival ahead of 2023 on what would in November when Bello, the Kogi State governor, would be seeking re-election.

“We cannot afford to let opposition take more states. Edo and Kogi are very crucial to the party’s electoral fortunes in the next general elections. Whatever we have to do at the party level must be done, including meeting Mr President in states where there are conflicts among stakeholders,” one of the governors was quoted to have said.

Sources privy to the caucus meeting said that Buhari must be made to see reasons why Oshiomhole should be prevailed upon to tone down aggression against Obaseki.

“It is not helping the party fortunes at all,” the governor was said to have submitted.

Disagreement between Oshiomohle and Obaseki escalated recently after the general elections earlier in the year. Recent fallout of the quarrel, it was learnt, was a recent alteration of the security protocols around the governor.

It was gathered that the decision was informed by alleged incessant breach of security cordon around the governor during major events by Oshiomhole.

A good example of this, the source said, was during the last Alaghodaro Economic Summit, meant to showcase Obaseki’s achievements in his second year in office in office.

Part of activities lined up for event was a thanksgiving service at the Church of God Mission. To the consternation of security details attached to the governor, Oshiomole, with his retinue of aides and security men, stormed the church service, altering the order of event, while Obaseki was already seated and event underway.

The party chairman also ambushed the governor by storming out ahead of Obaseki into a waiting media crew, leading to a commotion that blocked the governor’s exit from the church after the service, forcing his aides to review the security protocol to protect the governor.

A repeat of similar event was said to have happened during the last edition of Okpekpe race, where the party chairman also reportedly used the event to ambush the governor.

These developments, it was gathered, might have been responsible for the outbursts of an APC chieftain, Hon. Charles Idahosa, where he came down hard on Oshiomhole over allegation of playing godfather in the politics of Edo State.

According to Idahosa, “Oshiomhole must have been joking when he denied his godfather’s role in Edo State politics. Oshiomhole brought Governor Godwin Obaseki to us and told us that he was the engine of his administration and today, Governor Obaseki has lived up to our expectations, and he has actually exceeded the expectations of millions of Edo people.

“Oshiomhole chose the deputy governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu. He imposed all the commissioners on Governor Obaseki and chose the Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie. So, what is Oshiomhole denying?”

Idahosa, who said Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, former APC National Chairman, was very correct when he said Oshiomhole was playing the godfather.

Idahosa added: “Oshiomhole chose the local government chairmen in the 18 local councils of the state as well as most of the members of the state house of assembly.

“The current crisis in the State Assembly happened because he seems to be losing his hold on the politics of the state. He is guilty of what he accused former Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State of doing.”