• Says his deputy is free to contest
By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
Ahead of the next year’s governorship election in Edo State, the State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki has assured that he will throw his weight behind any candidate who emerges from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, primaries for the election.
This is as Obaseki dismissed claims that he is having face-off with his Deputy, Hon. Philip Shaibu, stressing that as a bona fide indigene of Edo state, Shiabu is free to contest for the upcoming governorship election.
The Governor stated these on Thursday in Abuja at the Headquarters PDP while answering questions from journalists after the meeting between the leadership of the party and Edo State stakeholders
According to him, “There is absolutely no issue between me and my deputy and he is here, he wants to contest and we are not asking him to drop his ambition.
“He is a free born of Edo state and he can contest”, he said.
When asked if Shaibu will enjoy his support, he responded, “I will support whoever the party supports”.
Also in his remarks, National Chairman of PDP, Ambassador Umar Ilya Damagum said that the party is very united and has formed a united front to win the governorship election.
Ambassador Damagum said that there is no feud between the governor and his deputy.
He said, “We have agreed to work together as one family and we will go further to break the meeting into smaller committees so that at the end of the day, we will come out with a better solution. But in conclusion, Edo is now one family”.
Mr Asue Ighodalo, the preferred governorship aspirant of the Edo State Governor, who was also present at the meeting, said that the leadership of the party is working hard to ensure that the party is very united and peaceful so that it can win the next general election.
His words, “The meeting discussed unity and for the people to continue to live in love. The PDP is set to win the next election in the state by the grace of God Almighty.
“The leadership of the party all spoke well and they spoke in the line of unity for the party. We are all very happy coming out of that meeting”, he said.
Ighodalo said that the people of Edo state should expect more delivery of the dividends of democracy from the party.
On his chances of becoming the next flag bearer of the party, he said, “That is in God Almighty’s hands.
“What we are most concerned about now is the unity of the party. I don’t think that anybody is directly thinking about that issue now.
“It is fundamental that the party stays united and that the party stays strong. “That is what we are all focusing on, that is what everybody that is attending the meeting is focusing on”.
Present at the meeting were Edo State Deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, Deputy National Chairman (South) of PDP’, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, Vice Chairman (South South), Chief Dan Orbih, Chief Tom Ikimi and members of the party’s National Working Committee.
