The Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Hilary Otsu, has said that any candidate fielded by Governor Godwin Obaseki for next year’s governorship election will not be voted for by the Edo state people.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that according to Otsu,
Obaseki lacked the goodwill required to promote an unpopular candidate in the state.
He said most of the candidates fielded by the governor during the 2023 general election were unknown, leading to the defeat suffered by the party.
“Legacy will nominate a governor and deputy of our choice, and PDP will become much stronger,” Otsu said. “Trust me, most of Governor Obaseki’s closest political allies have echoed it that Edo State will never accept another stranger to govern the people.
“Governor Obaseki does not have the kind of goodwill needed to promote an unknown stranger in Edo State. When Oshiomhole did it with him, Oshiomhole had optimal goodwill and acceptance. If Edo people are given a choice today, they will vote against any candidate that Governor Obaseki supports.”
Otsu added that all the candidates fielded by Governor Obaseki during the 2023 general election were unpopular and that most voters in their various constituencies were aware of the illegal processes which brought them.
“So, many of the voters who followed all that transpired leading to the emergence of Obaseki’s candidates worked and voted against them,” Otsu said. “Most PDP supporters opted to work against the illegal candidates by supporting other candidates.
“That’s why you see that in many places they gave support to APC candidates and in some, to Labour candidates, leading to unprecedented victories for those parties. For example, PDP has never lost Edo Central and South senatorial seats before, while a Labour candidate swept the Edo South Senate seat, after leaving PDP for Labour just a few months to the election.”
Otsu’s statement comes amid growing tension within the Edo State PDP, especially with the governor and his deputy, Philip Shaibu.
