The Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Hilary Otsu, has made a bold assertion, stating that any candidate endorsed by Governor Godwin Obaseki will not emerge victorious in the 2024 governorship election in the state.
In an interview with The Nation on Wednesday, Mr Otsu expressed doubts about the governor’s ability to garner the necessary support for his chosen candidate.
According to Otsu, most of the candidates fielded by Governor Obaseki during the 2023 general elections were relatively unknown, resulting in a defeat for the party.
“Legacy will nominate a governor and deputy of our choice, and PDP will become much stronger. Trust me, most of Gov. Obaseki’s closest political allies have echoed it that Edo state will never accept another stranger to govern its people,” Otsu remarked.
Mr Otsu further emphasized that Governor Obaseki lacks the necessary goodwill to successfully promote an unfamiliar candidate in Edo State. He compared this situation to when Obaseki himself was nominated by former Governor Oshiomole, who had overwhelming goodwill and acceptance.
“If Edo people are given a choice today, they will vote against any candidate that Gov. Obaseki supports,” he added.
Otsu continued, “I stand to be corrected, but all the candidates fielded by Gov. Obaseki during the 2023 general elections were unpopular, and most voters in their respective constituencies were aware of the illegal processes that brought them to power.”
He suggested that many voters who closely followed the events leading up to the emergence of Obaseki’s candidates voted against them. Additionally, he noted that several PDP supporters opted to rally behind alternative candidates rather than the illegal ones selected by Obaseki.
“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,” Otsu explained.
He highlighted an example of a Labour candidate winning the Edo South Senate seat, after defecting from the PDP just months before the election, which had traditionally been a stronghold for the PDP.
As the 2024 governorship election in Edo State approaches, the PDP Secretary believes that the party’s chances of reclaiming power will be significantly enhanced by carefully selecting their own candidate, rather than relying on Governor Obaseki’s endorsement.
