The national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun and members of the APC Governors Forum are expected to storm Benin City, Edo state capital Saturday for the flag-off of the party’s campaigns for the September 10 governorship election.

Meanwhile, the running mate to the governorship candidate of the party, Philip Shaibu on Thursday 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 handiwork 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 was 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 my name featured in their mind and I was selected to be the running mate. I pray to God that I meet the challenges ahead and not to disappoint those who reposed this confidence in me.

“I am really excited because it was not something I expected, I believe it’s God’s doing. I know I was asked by some persons if I was not interested and I told them that the office of the deputy governor is not something you contest, it is the governor and leaders from my experience that normally look at the options and take a decision and when the decision was in my favour I was excited and pray to God that that quality they saw in me will not die but continue to flourish so that I will not disappoint them he stated.

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 morning 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 Progressives 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 that “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.