The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has faulted Monday’s meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party leaders in Edo North where they endorsed a former Sterling Bank chairman, Asue Ighodalo, as their preferred PDP governorship candidate.
The meeting was at the instance of a former deputy governor of the state, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, and had in attendance many party heavyweights.
The meeting, which was held in Oghiadomhe residence in Fuga, had in attendance the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, former Senator Yisa Braimoh, former House of Representatives member, Johnson Abolagba and a former House of Assembly Speaker, Kabiru Adjoto.
Also in attendance were Otunba Olu Fashanu, Dr. Bolaji Ojebuobuo, Joe Ekpenkhio, Omo Ezomon, Uyi Maiaika, Henry Tenebe, serving and former Edo State PDP functionaries, as well as all the LGA council chairmen.
They unanimously endorsed Ighodalo as the favoured aspirant to get the PDP ticket ahead of the September governorship election.
Ighodalo is rumoured to have the backing of Governor Godwin Obaseki, who is opposed to Shaibu’s ambition to succeed him.
Shaibu, while addressing his supporters in his country home, Jattu, Etsako West Local Government, shortly after the Auchi Day Annual Celebration on Tuesday, said he considered the Monday meeting held in Oghiadomhe as a slight on his office as Deputy Governor.
He said having not informed or invited him to the meeting, the decision reached was null and void and of no effect.
Shaibu 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 did not hold, because, by virtue of my office as Deputy Governor, I remain the leader of the PDP in Edo North and the 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.”
Shaibu said Oghiadomhe would not have allowed such 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.
“Chief 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,” he added.
Ighodalo unifies SWC
Meanwhile, Ighodalo, on Tuesday, held a unification meeting with members of the State Working Committee of the PDP.
The unification meeting held at the residence of the Edo State PDP Chairman, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, and, for the first time, witnessed the coming together of all aggrieved working committee members in the state.
Some of the members at the meeting included the Deputy Chairman of Edo PDP, Harrison Omagbon; Secretary, Hilary Otsu, Edo Central Vice Chairman, Bishop Anthony Okosun, Ehis Destiny Oreye, Anthony Anenih and Akhere Ogbesia.
Ighodalo had during a recent meeting with the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, promised to bring unity to the party before the 2024 governorship election.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the meeting, ighodalo said that he was at the meeting to inform the state working Committee of PDP of his intention to run for the office of the governor of Edo State.
He said, “This is the first time the State Working Committee of the party is meeting in two years. I am so elated. My task, since I stepped into the frame, was to unify the party at every level in Edo State.”
Shaibu said if given the opportunity to lead Edo State, he would make the state the best economy in the country.
He added, “The governor has done very well, he is laying a broad and solid foundation and we need to build on that. We have to look at inclusive economy and we need to look at bringing things down to meeting direct needs of the people,” he said
Earlier, the Edo State PDP Chairman, Dr. Aziegbemi commended the governorship aspirant for bringing the state working committee together, adding that the misunderstanding in the party was now a thing of the past.
He added: “We looked at the Issues and we concluded that the best way for us and Edo State is to come together. It is only when we come together that we can make sure the legacy Governor Godwin Obaseki left behind will not be wiped off.”