Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has declared that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the forthcoming election in Edo State, Governor Godwin Obaseki, has no opponent.
Governor Wike made the remark on Wednesday in a television programme, saying that the people of Edo already know the type of candidate the All Progressives Congress (APC) is presenting, going by what Adams Oshiomhole said of him four years ago.
‘Adams Oshiomhole told Edo people that Ize-Iyamu was rusticated from school; that he poured acid on a fellow student that destroyed his manhood. That he is an armed robber that cannot be trusted with money,’ Governor Wike said.
‘Such a character cannot be accepted by Edo people as governor during the election.
‘I respect the Benin tradition and I know that Edo people are educated to know that Oshiomhole cannot play on their intelligence. If he is now retracting what he said of Ize Iyamu, who is sure that he’s saying the correct thing now.
‘Adams Oshiomole’s sudden u-turn is a great insult on Edo people. This is an opportunity for Edo people both at home and in the diaspora to use their votes to tell Oshiomhole they cannot take his lies anymore.
‘From all indications, it is obvious that there is no strong opposition against Obaseki and he will win convincingly,’ he said.
Wike, who is the Chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council, stated that he and his team accepted the responsibility to lead the campaign because they were satisfied with results coming out already from Edo State.
Governor Wike stated that the PDP has continued to take steps in strengthening the nation’s democracy.
According to him, the party did so with the promotion of internal politics and resolving the conflict of interests of members to achieve common goals.
He noted the success recorded by the PDP in conducting free and fair party primaries in Edo State.
The Governor said all the aspirants decided to work together to support the candidature of Governor Obaseki who is the party’s flag bearer.
‘It was not easy to have a sole candidate for the party in Edo State. People thought there will be problems, given the fact that Obaseki was coming from another party. But, party members, who are grounded and believe in the party, didn’t see any sacrifice too much to make.
‘Even in Ondo State, the former Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, who decamped to PDP, contested keenly during the primaries and lost. If there are other pending issues in the South West, be sure that the party will resolve them.
‘That is exactly what Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, as the chairman of South-South States’ Governors, had done. He is making sure that we are all on the same page to ensure that all States in the South-South are controlled by PDP,’ he stated.