END OF THE ROAD? SHAIBU KICKS AS PDP LEADERS ENDORSE GOVERNOR’S CANDIDATE EVEN IN HIS ZONE

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. Gasper Babatunde