EDO 2020: Obaseki is a big catch – PDP

AFTER 12 cold years out of the Edo State Government House, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, without electoral contest, took over the government of the state as Governor Godwin Obaseki and his Deputy, Philip Shaibu, joined the party.

The move ended weeks of permutations on Obaseki’s political future following his disqualification from the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship primary and his resignation from the party, a few days ago.

Obaseki’s defection means the PDP is now in control of 16 states including all the six states of the South-South zone. The APC controls 19 states and has lost the only state it had in the oil-rich South-South region. The remaining state, out of the nation’s 36, is controlled by the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.

The governor’s move generated mixed reactions. While the PDP , its leaders and supporters of Obaseki celebrated and hailed the action, the APC said the development was not news because “we knew he defected long ago.”

Obaseki was received by the leadership of the PDP in Edo led by the state Chairman, Hon Tony Aziegbemi.

He arrived the state Secretariat of the PDP along 1st East Circular Road by 2:20 pm with many of his followers and appointees and went straight to the office of the chairman, who was already waiting for him.

Some aides who accompanied Obaseki included his Political Adviser, Chief Osaro Idah, his Political Adviser (Edo South), Osaigbovo Iyoha, Special Adviser on Legislative Matters, Rt Hon Kabiru Adjoto and former Political Adviser to the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole when he was governor of the state, Hon Charles Idahosa and some other Senior Special Assistants (SSAs). The ceremony ended in 15 minutes.

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I will return PDP to winning ways in Edo — Obaseki

Obaseki said he came to the PDP after much consultation nationwide, promising that he would bring the party to winning ways again and that he visited the secretariat to formally register with the party.

He was received by members of the State Executive of the PDP led by the state chairman. Hon Tony Azegbenmi, the Vice Chairman South-South of the PDP, Chief Emmanuel Ogidi and several other leaders.

Shortly after his departure, his deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu, also visited the secretariat to perform the same ceremony.

Obaseki said: “I am here this afternoon to inform you that upon my resignation from the All Progressives Congress I have now decided, having consulted very widely within the state and across the country, to become a member of the PDP. The PDP in my view has demonstrated and shown that it is a party that is rooted in democratic practices. The party that believes in justice and fairness, a party that respects its people.

“Today is not a day I will make the speech, you will hear from me soon. Today, I am here to go through the formalities of registering as a member of this great party, I know and I understand fully well the implications of these decisions, I know that upon taking up membership of this party I automatically become the leader of the party in the state, that is the constitution, I read it thoroughly last night and I want to assure all of you that I am prepared to provide leadership.

“I am prepared to provide leadership that will lead this party to victory and I am prepared to provide leadership that will not only put PDP in office in Edo state but as the ruling party in Edo state , we will make sure that the level of progress, the level of hope and the level of participation in the political system by our party is unrivalled in this country.

“I am very happy to be here, the reception I have received since I drove in here has been ecstatic, the energy I see in this party is the kind of energy I require to take Edo to the level we should go to next. So, if indeed we have done anything in the last four years, you haven’t seen anything yet because with the quality of people I see here, the energy of the youths I see, by the grace of God victory will be possible.

“ I am committing to you that I will not only lead this party to victory in Edo state, but we will now make sure that this party establishes an example of how states will be run in Africa. So, today, it is with great pleasure that I have come to formally take up my membership of this great party.”