The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has nominated his deputy, Philip Shaibu, as running mate in the September 19, 2020 governorship election in the state.
Announcing Shaibu’s nomination at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national secretariat in Abuja on Saturday, Obaseki said there was no need to change a winning team.
Shaibu was a member of the Edo State House of Assembly and later became a member of the House of Representatives.
Earlier, Obaseki received his Certificate of Return from the PDP leadership.
Obaseki, in his acceptance speech, said, “My emergence as the governorship candidate of the PDP in the just concluded primary election is just the hand of God. It is miraculous. I and my deputy are grateful to this great party.
“In hours of tribulation in our political storm, PDP gave us a huge umbrella. This ought to be our first party because of the values of justice, fairness. We found out that transparency and quality of governance reign in this party.”
Obaseki commended the National Organising Secretary, Austin Akobundu; National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan; and the National Legal Adviser for their prompt responses to issues regarding his waiver and eventual nomination.
He said that the people of Edo State were consulted before he defected to the PDP, adding, “the people of Edo state said, where you go, we will go. We came from a political party, let’s go back from where we are coming from.”
Praising other governorship aspirants on the platform of the party, he said “help me thank our co-aspirants that stepped down for us, despite all expenses. They stepped down not on personal ego but for the good of Edo people”.
He also commended the governors of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambawul; Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa; Oyo State, Seyi Makinde; and the governors of PDP in the Southeast, for their efforts in seeing him emerge as the governorship candidate.
He was accompanied to the PDP national secretariat by Deputy Governor Shuaibu, Senator Clifford Ordia (Edo Central), Godwin Ikhine and Kenneth Imasuagbon, among others.
Presenting the Certificate of Return, the PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus, said the primary election that produced Obaseki was well-conducted and in line with the party’s Constitution.
Secondus said PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) had ratified the Edo State primary election’s report.
He said Obaseki’s defection and eventual emergence, as PDP candidate was divine, and in line with Edo people’s interest.
“With what happened to them in their former party, they decided that it would not be a war. When you desire something good and you have the support of your people, war is no alternative. They abandoned war in their former party in pursuit of good governance, justice and equity and fair-play. They came to our party and we received them because we believe they have performed.” Secondus said.
Commending Obaseki and Shaibu for delivering good governance in Edo State, Secondus decried the maltreatment meted out to them by the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership.
Source: VON
