Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has reportedly said that Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, does not need an Etsako running mate to win the 2024 governorship election.
A report doing the rounds on social media platforms claimed that Obaseki made the statement during a tete-a-tete with an old PDP Chieftain in the dinning room of the Government House in Benin City.
The governor was said to have spoken in response to a question as to why he did not appoint Hon. Paschal Ugbomhe as replacement for his embattled former Deputy, Rt. Hon Philip Shaibu.
Ugbomhe was once a member of the State House of Assembly. He was also once a senatorial candidate of the PDP for Edo North Senatorial seat. He is a strong nember of the PDP in Edo North and firmly rooted in the PDP Legacy Group.
The governor was said to have made the remarks while having a meal with some of his close appointees and PDP leaders who attended the swearing in of his new Deputy, who hails from Akoko Edo Local Government Area.
The Governor was said to have queried why every position must go to Etsako people to the detriment of those from Akoko Edo, which has a big voting population.
He reportedly said Etsako had the Senator and Minister, and further argued that to now add Deputy Governor to what they already had would be an act of injustice to the people of Edo North who were not only Etsako people, but Owan and Akoko Edo, inclusive.
When asked by one of the PDP leaders why he dropped Paschal Ugbomhe, whose name went viral as Shaibu’s replacement, the Governor, according to the report, replied that Asue Ighodalo did not need an Etsako Deputy Governor to win the forthcoming September 2024 Governorship election in Edo State.
For most political watchers, this statement by the Governor might not be unconnected with the feeling in the new PDP camp where the Governor belongs to that the trio of Senators Adams Oshiomohle, Chief Dan Orbih and Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu who are from Etsako will make it difficult for the PDP to win a single ward in the three Local Governments within the Etsako Federal Constituency in the forthcoming Edo guber polls.
Consequently, the governor decided to strategically curry the support of Owan and Akoko Edo axis with the appointment of Omobayo Marvellous Godwins from Akoko Edo.
THE CONCLAVE had, as of press time, yet to independently confirm from official channels around the governir whether or not he [the governir] actually said so. [THE CONCLAVE]
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