By Sufuyan Ojeifo
Restless business investor, Asue Ighodalo, who is being rightly or wrongly touted as Governor Godwin Obaseki’s sole pick for the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the scheduled September 21, 2024 governorship election, is racing ahead of Obaseki in the contest for the party’s ticket, which has been thrown open, according to feelers reaching THE CONCLAVE (online newspaper).
THE CONCLAVE reports that Ighodalo, who happened to make the list of possible successors – about four prominent leaders of the PDP and technocrats (Ighodalo was one of the technocrats outside the PDP until he registered in May, this year) – fell victim of the propaganda stunt of the other camps in the PDP who pushed the narrative in the media, portraying him (Igbodalo) as Obaseki’s anointed candidate.
A source close to the development hinted this newspaper that there were four possible successors who were identified and who made the list, including one-time chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state who decamped with Obaseki to the PDP, Anselm Ojezua.
The source, however, said that none of the four persons had yet been anointed, stressing that the contest and the selection process were still very much open in the circumstances of the ongoing politicking and horse-trading in the state chapter of the PDP.
THE CONCLAVE further reports the source to have hinted that whereas Obaseki is well disposed to the four persons that made the list, Anselm Ojezua, the source clarified is the most politically aligned with Obaseki.
The soyrce said: “Anselm Ojezua is Governor Obaseki’s man Friday. They have come a long way from the APC. They are like Siamese twins, always staying close and in touch. It is either you see Ojezua in the Governor’s house or vice versa, always touching base. This happens on daily basis. What does that tell you?”
THE CONCLAVE reports that while the other camps had succeeded in portraying Asue Ighodalo as Obaseki’s favourite, calculating that his profile might be tainted by that narrative, Ighodalo had since gone ahead, racing past the crowded field, including the governor and his factor, in intensive and all-encompassing consultations with and lobby of party leaders across the three senatorial zones.
Recall that the governor had committed to Edo central zone picking the PDP ticket.
Regardless of the internal protest, nay rebellion, by the Deputy Governor, Phillip Shaibu, who is from Edo North, and insisting on taking a shot at the PDP guber cticket, the governor has so far kept fidelity with the zoning of the ticket to Edo Central.
Feelers reaching THE CONCLAVE said that the Legacy Group led by the National Vice Chairman [South-South] of the PDP, Chief Dan Osi Orbih, is moving to insert a wedge in the zoning arrangement.
The Legacy Group is said to be supporting the idea of throwing open the ticket for aspirants from the three zones to fight for it.
THE CONCLAVE reports that the Legacy Group has a predetermined aspirant it is supporting for the ticket from Edo South: Hon Ogbeide Ihama.
Recall that Ogbeide Ihama was positioned to pick the PDP ticket in 2020 when Obaseki ran to the PDP after he was blocked in the APC from seeking re-election on the party’s ticket.
The PDP, under the control of Orbih, had prevailed on Ogbeide Ihama to concede the ticket to Obaseki for some considerations, which Obaseki did not fulfil in their entirety.
The Legacy Group, in light of the grudge fight between it and Obaseki, leading to the comprehensive losses of nomination tickets by members of its faction in the last general election, is baying for the “blood” of Obaseki.
The group’s anger is targeted at anyone who is believed to enjoy the support of Obaseki in the forthcoming guber primary poll and the general election.
But THE CONCLAVE gathered that, unfazed by the negative scenario, Asue Ighodalo, decided to race ahead of Obaseki to engage with everybody who is somebody in the PDP to push for reconciliation and unity within the party.
He had reportedly met and discussed some terms of engagement, synergy and collaboration with PDP leaders.
The national secretariat of the PDP is in the know of the reconciliation moves within the state chapter of the party.m; and the Danagun-led national working committee is encouraging everything in aid of reconciliation.
A source close to the development said that of all the aspirants from the central zone in the PDP, Asue Ighodalo has been the most committed in pushing for reconciliation.
“Everywhere he went, every body he met, the response was the same: you are good man; we don’t have anything against you, but Obaseki,” the source told THE CONCLAVE.
THE CONCLAVE reports that consequently,, Asue Igbodalo may have decided to take his destiny in his hands to see through the project having resigned from no fewer than six boards of blue-chip companies.
How far he will succeed in dismantling the propaganda stunt against him and proving that he is not Obaseki’s candidate remains to be seen. He has between now and end of January 2024 to shear himself of that toga of Obaseki’s candidate. The party primary election hols in February 2024.
Contrary to the claim doing the rounds that the restless business investor, Asue Ighodalo, has been anointed by Governor Godwin Obaseki for the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), THE CONCLAVE can authoritatively report that Ighodalo is actually racing ahead of Obaseki
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