Edo Guber: Another PDP Aspirant, John Yakubu, Steps Down for Ighodalo

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-city

The governorship aspiration of Dr. Asue Ighodalo in the upcoming Edo State governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday received a boost, as another governorship aspirant of the party, Mr. John Yakubu, stepped down for him.

Yakubu was a two-time chairman of Esan North-East Local Government Area of the state. It would be recalled that Senator Clifford Ordia; two former Speakers of the state House of Assembly, Friday Itulah and

Marcus Onobun, representing Esan West, Esan Central and Igueben federal constituency in the House of Representatives, and Mr. Kenneth Awolimen also stepped down last Monday for Ighodalo.

Yakubu, who addressed journalists at Igueben, the administrative headquarters of Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State, shortly after a closed-door meeting with the Edo Central PDP Special Committee headed by the former Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi, said he decided to step down for the interest of the party as well as the positive activities displayed by the leading governorship aspirant.

He said: “After due consultation across our top party leadership spectrum, members of my campaign organisation and my teeming supporters across the three senatorial districts and beyond, I have decided that for the overall interest of our party and the yearning of Edo people to continue to have the PDP at Osadebe Avenue, to lay down my gubernatorial aspiration.

“This is also going by the wise direction paved and shown by our party senatorial leadership so far, the body language of members of our party, and the positive activities displayed by Dr. Ighodalo himself.”

Yakubu further notedthat: “It has become very clear that he (Ighodalo) stands in good position to bring about this much needed development to us as a party and to the state.

“On this ground, I stand solidly behind Dr. Ighodalo, not only as our gubernatorial candidate but in all of the activities that will ensure his victory and our victory at the polls in September 2024.”

Meanwhile, the Edo Central PDP Special Committee presided over by national leader of the party, Chief Tom Ikimi, would today announce its consensus candidate for the state PDP governorship primary election.

This would be after the completion of screening of aspirants from the senatorial district yesterday in Igueben.