Ahead of the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries to select its flagbearer for the governorship election slated for September 2024, a chieftain of the party in Edo Central Senatorial District, Chief Matthew Emiohe, has cautioned the party to be circumspect in its choice of a candidate for the election.
Chief Emiohe, who advised Benin City, the state capital over the weekend, said that the advice became imperative for the PDP to avoid the type of political debacle between former governor Nyesom Wike and his political godson, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, by not imposing a candidate on the party.
This was just as the PDP chieftain denied being part of any meeting with Governor Godwin Obaseki, where Asue Ighodalo was agreed upon as a likely candidate of the party, and called on the governor not to make the mistake of fielding a ‘stranger’ and an unpopular candidate if he intends to win the 2024 governorship for the PDP.
The Itohan of Esanland, while drumming up support for the candidacy of Mr. Anslem Ojezua, an aspirant for the party’s ticket, said that he had it on good authority that Governor Obaseki was the one who urged Ojezua to join the governorship race.
“Yes, the governor has the right to support anyone, but it must be in tandem with the leaders of the party. He cannot do it alone the way he is going. He can express interest in anybody, just as he also expressed interest in the candidacy of Ojezua because I know he asked him to enter the race. I don’t know if he told other people the same way he told Ojezua.
“Obaseki should tread carefully whom he supports. You see, this problem of godfatherism is not paying anymore, especially with what is presently going on in Rivers State.
“We don’t want a situation where two months after the election, they will start to fight. If that happens, it will be worse than what is happening between Wike and Fubara.
“What I am saying in essence is that if the governor goes ahead to push for the emergence of Asue, then the election for PDP will be dead on arrival because you cannot force somebody that cannot win the election on us.
We need somebody that will be generally accepted by everybody. We don’t want a stranger, and we the leaders cannot accept it,” he cautioned.
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