Godwin Obaseki, the governor of Edo State on Thursday, June 25, 2020, emerged the governorship candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state gubernatorial election.
He emerged the party’s candidate after his closest rival to the PDP governorship election ticket Ken Imasaugbon stepped down from the race minutes into the primary election.
Imasuagbon was the last of Obaseki’s three challengers to withdraw from the race after the Governor joined PDP from the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Imasuagbon, has said he stepped aside for Governor Obaseki because he wants “godfatherism to be defeated.”
He also said Governor Obaseki’s performance as the leader of Edo State inspired him to set aside his ambition.
He said this on Thursday during the PDP Governorship primary election in Edo State, held in Benin City, adding that he wants Obaseki to continue his impressive work.
According to him, he has been a victim of godfatherism and will help the Edo leader fight anyone who wants to “enslave” the people of the State.
“I am a victim of godfatherism,” he said, stressing that “when I saw Godwin standing up to challenge the actions of one godfather who wants to enslave everyone in Edo State, I said no, if need be, I will submit to Governor Obaseki.”
Imasuagbon equally admitted he is squashing his ambition for the sake of the people of Edo, the growth of democracy, and the party.
“I hereby, step down my ambition because of these reasons I have given,” he explained, adding that he has now raised “my support for Godwin Obaseki.”
With Obaseki’s emergence as PDP’s candidate, the governor faces his political rival Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and other candidates for the September 19 governorship election.
In 2016, Ize-Iyamu was PDP’s candidate while Obaseki with the backing of his erstwhile political godfather Adams Oshiomhole contested under APC and won the election.
In June 2020, Obaseki left the APC after he was disqualified by the party’s screening committee for the primary election.
Obaseki accused the party of bias in the screening process and defected to the PDP days after.
Ize-Iyamu on the other hand emerged the APC governorship candidate after the party’s primary election.
Source: The Guardian
