Aliko Dangote becomes an issue in Edo State PDP governorship campaign

Nigeria’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has become an issue in the Edo State governorship race.

Some stakeholders have reportedly linked him with one of the major aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP].

Though there are no established personal or business links between Dangote and Asue Ighodalo, a frontline aspirant for the PDP ticket from Edo Central, some stakeholders in the Edo election are insinuating them into a relationship on account of the past links between the billionaire industrialist and the outgoing governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki.

Obaseki and Dangote are business associates of sorts.

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Obaseki’s links with Dangote are traceable to his role as a capital market adviser to the industrialist.

This has greatly enhanced Dangote’s portfolio and turned him into a dollar billionaire.

Ighodalo, one of Nigeria’s biggest corporate players, has generally been linked to Obaseki with a section of the PDP, which is aligned with Obaseki fervently drumming support for him.

However, the mainstream of the PDP under the leadership of Chief Dan Orbih, National Vice Chairman, South-South, has also remained lukewarm towards Ighodalo because of the belief that Obaseki has anointed him for the PDP guber ticket.

This is despite an overture championed by Obaseki to restore cordiality with the party mainstream in Edo State.

In the face of this, the Dangote connection has stuck out as a potential albatross with some stakeholders saying that they would not allow another Dangote man after eight years of Obaseki.

The animosity against the Ighodalo perceived connection with Dangote is despite the fact that there is no clear link between him and the dollar billionaire industrialist and the PDP aspirant beyond their obvious boardroom engagements and camaraderie.

At the root of the animosity is the claim that Ighodalo is a direct political offspring from Obaseki, whom Edo people, according to feelers from some quarters, are saying May walk in the same path in disregarding the political class like the outgoing governor.

But some stakeholders are saying that Ighodalo would toe a path that is different from Obaseki’s, citing their knowledge of and personal relationship with him. They say his character traits are different abd easily distinguishable from Obaseki’s.