Obaseki: PDP to decide Shaibu's destiny in Edo Election

The political situation in Edo State entered a new phase on Thursday as Governor Godwin Obaseki addressed the governorship ambitions of his deputy, Philip Shaibu. Shaibu officially declared his candidacy for the 2024 governorship election on Monday, ending speculation about his intentions.

Governor Obaseki, who initially came to power under the All Progressives Congress (APC) before defecting to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stated that the fate of Shaibu’s candidacy would be decided by the PDP. After a closed-door meeting with Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed and former Akwa-Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel, Obaseki emphasized the PDP’s role in determining the party’s flag bearer.

“The party will decide and also members of the party will decide who will be the flag bearer of the party in the forthcoming governorship election,” Obaseki explained, acknowledging Shaibu’s constitutional right to run. However, he refrained from explicitly endorsing Shaibu, emphasizing that his support alone would not determine the party’s flag bearer.

During the meeting, Obaseki, Mohammed, and Emmanuel discussed party politics and national issues. In light of the recent removal of fuel subsidy and the subsequent increase in the cost of living, Governor Obaseki called for proactive solutions from Nigeria’s leaders. Expressing concern over the unprecedented suffering of Nigerians, he urged leaders to focus on strategies to alleviate the challenges faced by the people and improve their living conditions.

“The year is coming to an end and the prices of food items are going up. What can we, as PDP governors, do to ameliorate the sufferings of our people? These are some of the things we came to talk about while preserving the unity of this country,” Obaseki stated, emphasizing the need for concrete actions to address the ongoing difficulties faced by Nigerians.