President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday met behind closed doors with Edo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

In his speech at the meeting which was made available to State House correspondents, the Chairman of the Council and Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’ Edo, Ewuare II, sought the intervention of the President in the ongoing crisis between the state governor, Godwin Obaseki and Mr Adams Oshiohmole.

Oshiohmole, the current National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was the immediate past governor of Edo, who handed the mantle of leadership to Obaseki.

The Oba said: “Mr President, we as traditional rulers in Edo State, are concerned about the crisis between Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the All Progressives Congress National Chairman and his Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, and Edo State House of Assembly.

“If this crisis is not resolved now with immediate effect it may jeopardize the progress of the state. On behalf of the good people of Edo State, we kindly appeal to Mr. President to use your good offices to intervene and stop this crisis.

“Personally even though I do not like to interfere in inter-party or intra party matters, and always maintain that the Benin Crown is non-partisan, it is however difficult to turn a blind eye because if this crisis is not brought under control, it is likely to jeopardize the welfare of the masses”.

“This is where I, in my capacity as Chairman of Edo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs, supported by members of the Council, will endeavor to broker peace between the warring parties.’’

The traditional ruler also sought presidential intervention in what he described as “poor and ineffective performance’’ of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) in the provision of power to electricity consumers in the state.

He revealed that they were in the villa to also congratulate the president over his well-deserved re-election for the second term in office.

He expressed the hope that the ongoing anti-corruption war and other laudable programmes of the government would move the country in the right path of economic growth and development.

He also prayed that almighty God would help the Buhari administration to put in place a formidable team of people of proven integrity that would join him to take the nation to the next level.

The Oba, however, urged the president to provide two Ministerial slots to Edo in the yet to be constituted Federal Executive Council in view of the fact that the state is the only All Progressives Congress (APC) State in the South-South. (NAN)