AHEAD of next month’s primaries of the political parties, no fewer than 61 aspirants are jostling for the governorship tickets of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; All Progressives Congress, APC; and Labour Party, LP, in Edo State.
They are seeking to succeed Governor Godwin Obaseki of the PDP, whose second term will expire on November 12, 2024. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has fixed the election for September 21.
A peep into the long list of aspirants shows that the LP has 32, APC 19, and PDP 11. There are three women and most of the aspirants fro Edo Central Senatorial Zone.
Among the aspirants of the PDP are the current Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu; Mr Asue Ighodalo, John Yakubu and Anslem Ojezua.
Shaibu
He hails from Jattu, Uzaiure in Etsako West Local Government Area and Edo North Senatorial District. He says he is the most experienced to take over from Obaseki and that in the history of the PDP, the governorship ticket has never been given to anybody from Edo North.
Ighodalo
He is from Ewohimi in Esan South-East Local Government Area. He is from Edo Central Senatorial district and says he has been in government as a member of the Economic Team since 2008 when Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was governor of the State.
Yakubu
John Yakubu is said to be one of the most grassrooted of the PDP aspirants having been the local government chairman of Esan North-East. He hails from Uromi in Edo Central. He cites his performance as local government chairman a reference point of his capacity to deliver.
Ojezua
A native of Eidenu in Irrua, Esan Central LGA, he was Edo State chairman of the APC before he defected with Obaseki to the PDP. He says he is the stabilizer and a bridge between technocrats and politicians and that he has the experience and capacity to bring all the warring factions in the PDP together and win the election for the party.
