Asue Ighodalo, who is vying for the PDP governorship ticket in Edo State, got the backing of Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, who met with Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister, in Abuja on Tuesday night.
The meeting, which was also attended by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, who accompanied Obaseki, was held at Wells Carlton Hotel, Abuja. Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, commented on the meeting, saying that it was a good thing to try to bring everyone on board, if the meeting was true.
Obaseki was trying to make peace with Wike, who had a close ally in Dan Orbih, the main supporter of Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, a former lawmaker and a strong rival of Ighodalo. Ighodalo was facing another challenge from Philip Shaibu, the incumbent deputy governor, in the PDP primary election scheduled for February 22, 2024.
Obaseki’s camp saw the primaries as a risky affair, even though Ighodalo was confident of securing the party’s ticket. Obaseki reportedly asked for “reconciliation” and said sorry for their past differences at the meeting with Wike. He also offered a deal that Ighodalo would choose Ogbeide-Ihama as his running mate.
Wike, however, refused to work with him, saying that he had no trust in him, as he had betrayed those who helped him before. Wike asked for a “fair and open contest so that the best candidate can emerge,” according to sources.
Nehikhare, the state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, who responded to the situation, said: “The governor had a zoom meeting with us today for the exco. Then we signed a concessioning agreement and he was there in person at noon. So, I don’t know if the governor was in or out of town, so I can’t confirm or deny the meeting, but on the other hand, if he is doing everything to carry everybody along, I think it is a good thing.”
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