Foremost lawyer and investment banker, Asue Ighodalo has emerged as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He defeated other aspirants in a peaceful but security tight primary election at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.
One of the aspirants, Hon Omosede Igbinedion stepped down for him on the election ground “for the interest of the party”
Ighodalo, who is believed to be Governor Obaseki’s preferred aspirant scored 577 votes to beat Bar Anselm Ojezua , Arthur Esele, Osaro Onaiwu, Martins Uhomoibhi, Hadizat Umoru and Felix Akhabue all scoring zero, while six votes were voided out of the 585 accredited delegates.
The deputy governor, Rt. Hon Philip Shaibu who had earlier emerged as a factional candidate in a parallel governorship primary election scored one vote
Declaring him the winner, the chief returning officer of the Edo PDP Guber Primaries and the the governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Dauda Lawal said , “the Committee having carefully sorted out and counted the votes found that Ighodalo scored 577 votes, Philip Shaibu scored 1 vote, while others got zero.”
Lawal was assisted by Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori and Senator James Manager, who were the vice chairman and secretary of the committee respectively.
In his acceptance speech, Ighodalo, thanked Governor Godwin Obaseki and the entire people of Edo State for their love and support noting that Obaseki has laid the foundation for him to build upon if eventually elected governor and promised to assemble young men and women for his government to turn the state around.
“I want to thank you for making me a tool, and I promise you that I will be a useful tool and by the grace of God, Edo State will move from where Godwin Obaseki has carried us, to the next level. I want to thank Godwin Obaseki for the wonderful work he has done in the last seven and half years. I know that in a year or two people will keep talking about Obaseki. We have not seen the value of the work he has done, but he is like a builder laying the foundation for a hundred story building. No man is perfect,we will all continue to repair and work on each other’s mistakes. I promised to assemble the best young men and women to turn the state around.” He said.
Earlier, the host Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, while welcoming guests at the primary election, said, “Today, we are going through an exercise that has been stipulated by our party. Even though it’s statutory, the exercise will be life-changing because Nigeria is going through difficult times and we can only overcome the challenges we are facing as a Country with the right leadership.
“If we in Edo do not begin to show the right leadership that will begin to reset Nigeria, God forbid, we may all be in trouble. PDP is the only party that has what it takes to rule this Country. Again, we are showing the example in the way we are conducting our leadership selection process.”
He added, “We are following our rules very assiduously; my role as a host governor is to welcome all of you who are here, starting with our members who elected the delegates that are carrying out this exercise today. Thanks to members of the State and National Working Committee of our great party, the PDP for being steadfast in the rules. I also thank all the aspirants for exercising the spirits of sportsmanship.”
The election attracted the who is who in the PDP in the state including former governor, Lucky Igbinedion, former Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi, Speaker of the state house of assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Osarodion Ogie who is being touted to be the running mate to Ighodalo, former Chief Whip of the Senate, Sir Roland Owie, Owere Dickson Imasogie council chairmen from the 18 local government chairmen, members of the state executive council, members of the state executive council and several others.
But conspicuously missing were members of the Legacy Coalition group of the PDP led by the Vice Chairman, South – South of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, Hon Charles Idahosa, many members of the State Working Committee (SWC) and several others.
