Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has given reasons why he will support his deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu as his successor in the 2024 gubernatorial election in the state.
He made it known that he is willing to support whoever emerges as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the primary election.
This is as the National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagun, expressed confidence that the Edo State chapter of the party will go into next year’s elections as one united family.
Damagun’s confidence was anchored on assurances he received from party stakeholders at a closed-door meeting. He held the meeting with Governor Godwin Obaseki; his deputy, Philip Shuaibu; one of the state governorship aspirants, Asue Ighodalo among others, in Abuja, on Thursday.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Damagun said: “We have agreed to work together as one family. And we will go further to break the meeting into smaller committees so that at the end of the day, we will come out with a better solution. But in conclusion, Edo PDP is one family.”
Responding to a question as to whether the dispute between the governor and his deputy over the governorship ticket had been resolved, the party chairman said: “We are talking about the election here and you are talking about an issue between the governor and his deputy.”
However, dismissed insinuations that he has a running battle with his deputy. He said: “There is absolutely no issue between me and my deputy. And he is here, he wants to contest and we are not asking him to drop his ambition. He is a free-born of Edo State and he can contest.”
When asked if he was willing to give Shuiabu his blessings and support to succeed him, the governor said: “I will support whoever the party supports.”
On his message to party faithful in the state, he said, “It is unity and for the people to continue to live in love. The PDP is set to win the next election in the state by the grace of God Almighty.”
Speaking about his chances of clinching the PDP governorship ticket, he said: “That is in God Almighty’s hands. What we are most concerned about now is the unity of the party.”
