Ken Imasuagbon, Gideon Ikhine and Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, Thursday said they stepped down for Governor Godwin Obaseki in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election because of the governor’s positive developments in the state, and
fight against godfatherism.
The former governorship aspirants gave the reasons while making their position known at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium venue of the primary election in Benin City.
Imasuagbon, who withdrew from the race on Thursday, June 25, few hours to the election, gave three reasons for withdrawing from the race to include the governor’s stand against godfatherism, infrastructural development and the interest of the party.
“I have decided to also step down for the governor because of our party, nation, for the strengthening of democracy and the developmental strides of the state governor.
“I step down because I also want godfatherism to be defeated in the state. I was a victim of godfatherism in the state”,he recalled.
He however, called on all delegates to give the governor support not only in the primary election but also in the September 19, 2020 governorship election to be able to sustain his developmental strides.
On his part, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, commended the governor for bringing PDP back to the state.
Ihama, said having Governor Godwin Obaseki is not only a big catch for the party, but a messiah that has liberated the party from the over 12 years in opposition to a ruling party in the state.
“I want to thank Governor Godwin Obaseki for bringing the state back to PDP fold.
” We are happy to have you in our midst and back to government house.
“I decided to support this merger and urge you all delegates to give the governor the total support to ensure that the state remain a PDP state”, he added.
All is now set for Godwin Obaseki to slug it out with his main challenger, Osagie Ize-iyamu, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the governorship election fixed for September 19
Earlier, the governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, who served as Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship primary election Committee noted that the party was known for political mechanism to resolve its internal crisis.
While noting that the party had made mistakes in the past, he opined that the party knew the general interest of Nigerians.
” PDP has been tested and trusted and we have been known for internal democracy. Yes, we have made mistakes but we have learnt our lessons from those mistakes.
“Nigerians trusted PDP because of its transparency and openness and the party knows the interest and aspiration of Nigerians.
” Today, we want to prove to the world that the PDP is the only party that they can trust. The primary would be conducted in a free, fair, credible and transparent way to prove a point that the party is the only one that can do that,” he stated.
He described Governor Obaseki as a very resourceful person and a reference point in the Nigeria Governors Forum.
In his goodwill message, Dan Orbih, the immediate past state chairman of the party and now Acting South-South zonal chairman of the party said the dream of having the state back to PDP has been realized.
“Our dream of having the only state in the South-South zone back to PDP has been realized. We are now here to celebrate the reelection of governor Godwin Obaseki as governor of the state.
“Today, I can say that the governor has already shown that the victory will be ours,” he added.
