I’ll not bring Godfatherism in Edo State, I’ll support whoever PDP picks – Gov Obaseki

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has said he will support whoever the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, picks as the governorship candidate in the state, and will not bring godfatherism in Edo state.

Also, 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, yesterday. 

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.”

In response 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.”

Obaseki

Also speaking after the meeting, Governor Obaseki 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.” 

Asked if he was willing to support Shuiabu to succeed him, the governor said: “I will support whoever the party supports.”

Ighodalo, who was also at the meeting, told reporters that the gathering was a fruitful family meeting. 

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.”