Shaibu Kicks as Edo North PDP Leaders Back Asue Ighodalo’s Guber Run

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Ahead of the February governorship primary election in Edo State, the state’s Deputy Governor, Mr. Philip Shaibu, has kicked against a meeting called by the former deputy governor of the state, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe to adopt Asue Ighodalo.

Oghiadomhe was the deputy governor of Edo State during the eight years tenure of former governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion. The said meeting called by Oghiadomhe on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP (PDP), had some leaders of the party from Edo North senatorial zone in attendance.

Those present at the meeting were: Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku; former Senator who represented the district in the Senate between 2007 – 2001, Yisa Braimoh; former member, representing Owan federal constituency,  Johnson Agbolagba, among others.

At the meeting, the attendees unanimously adopted Ighodalo as their preferred candidate of the PDP in the September governorship election.

However, while addressing a crowd of supporters at his country home in Jattu, Etsako West local government area of the state shortly after attending the Auchi Day annual celebration, Shaibu described the meeting of the PDP leaders as a slight on his person and office as a sitting deputy governor of the state.

According to him, the meeting was null and void and of no effect.

He said: “Information reaching me says that Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, an elder of our party, called a meeting of PDP leaders in the six local governments of Edo North in his country-home, Fugar, Etsako Central local government and pressurised them to endorse one of the aspirants for the forthcoming governorship primary election in the state.

“To me, that meeting was not held, because by virtue of my office as deputy governor, I remain the leader of the PDP in Edo North and deputy leader of the party in the state. Any meeting held in the Senatorial Zone without my knowledge is deemed null and void.

“I respect Chief Mike Oghiadomhe as my elder and as my predecessor in office. Any meeting held in Edo North without my knowledge or input remains null and void.”

“Chief Oghiadomhe could not allow such a thing to happen when he was in office as deputy governor and as a leader of Edo North. PDP is a party of structure and of hierarchy well defined in its constitution. I plead with all of you to remain calm and not be provoked by this action because after the primaries, we need to come together as members of the PDP, so, we will need everybody to win the main election in September.

” Oghiadomhe is trying to provoke us but we will remain calm because this project is not about Philip Shaibu, it is God’s own project. You all saw what happened at the Otaru’s palace today. It was very clear that God has a hand in this project,” he maintained.