Obaseki: My deputy free to contest, only PDP’ll decide Edo gov candidate

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has the sole right to determine its candidate for the September 21, 2024, governorship election in the state.

Obaseki said this when he visited Bauchi State Governor and Chairman of PDP Governors Forum, Bala Mohammed, in company of former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, to congratulate him on his victory at the Appeal Court in Bauchi on Thursday.

The governor, who described his relationship with his deputy, Philip Shaibu, as cordial, said: “He wants to run for the office and he is free to do so and you know as a Nigerian, he has the constitutional right to run and nobody can or should stop him.

“The party will decide and also the members of the party will decide who will be the flag bearer of our party in the forthcoming general election in Edo State.

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“I’m only one out of the millions party members in Edo State and I don’t think my vote would determine whether he becomes the flag bearer or not.”

Obaseki said the visit to Bauchi was to also discuss some pertinent issues relating to the PDP Governors Forum and other matters affecting Nigeria.

The governor stated that things were difficult and Nigerians were suffering, adding that it was time for Nigerian leaders to stop lamenting, confront the problems, and find solutions to them.

Shaibu had, on Monday, November 27, declared that nobody can stop him from contesting the 2024 governorship election in Edo State.

The deputy governor added that he would contest the gubernatorial election on the platform of the PDP, saying: “Nobody can stop my ambition.”

Shaibu’s ambition has put him at loggerheads with Governor Obaseki, who is believed not to be disposed to his deputy taking over from him.

The deputy governor has however apologised to Obaseki and asked for the latter’s forgiveness if he had offended him unknowingly to enable them to finish well in office.

He also called on the governor to forgive him so as to develop the state together with him.

The Star