APC governors to flag off Edo gubernatorial campaign tomorrow, Shaibu pledges commitment to party

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun, governors of the APC Governors Forum are expected to storm Benin City, Edo state capital today for the flag-off of the party’s campaigns for the September 10 governorship election. Running mate to the governorship candidate of the party, Philip Shaibu yesterday said he was surprised and excited when the leadership of the party in the state picked him to be the running mate to the party’s candidate, Godwin Obaseki, saying that his emergence was the handwork of God.

He expressed his gratitude to the leadership of the party in the state and also punctured the claim in some quarters that the deputy governorship position was not supposed to be ceded to Etsako where he hails from since the current senator and governor of the state are from those areas, saying that the leadership of the party were being strategic due to the voting strength of the three Etsako Local Governments.

“The office of the deputy governor is not one that you contest for. It is the leaders that take that decision and I was surprised and excited that I was selected to be running mate. I hope I meet the challenges ahead and not disappoint those who reposed this confidence in me.

“I am really excited because it was not something I expected, I believe its God’s doing.” Oshiomhole in a meeting with leaders of the party from the 192 wards of the state said the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s campaign was dead on arrival as he said there was no national leader of the party in the campaigns the party had last week. “Whether you like it or not, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) engine is dead on arrival. The early signals are clear. For the first time since 1999, a candidate was being presented to the people of Edo State for the most important single job, and the key pillars were there fastened to their chairs and their tables, none of them could stand on their feet to say one word. Has the Oracle not spoken?

According to him, “while the PDP couldn’t get any national person of note to present a tattered flag, our own national chairman will be around, as a former governor, former federal Permanent-Secretary and National Chairman of the governing party to present the flag to our candidate. And my brother governors will be coming from Friday; all the APC Governors will be here to show solidarity. We are not going to be represented by one governor. The Governors will come.”

He commended the Deputy Governor of the State, Dr Pius Odubu, for the reconciliation achieved and agreeing to campaign for the APC candidate, Mr. Godwin Obaseki saying, “The same thing should happen in each of the 192 wards. When you do us that favour, you are demonstrating leadership ability at your own level. I want to appreciate all of you. My personal apologies to anyone I might have offended.”