The candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the September 21, governorship election in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo, has said the people of the state will decide their next governor.
Ighodalo made this statement on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Monday.
The PDP candidate said the choice of who succeeds Godwin Obaseki is not for PDP heavyweight like Nyesom Wike or any other person to make but the people of the state.
Recall that Wike had last Friday said he won’t support Ighodalo who is the anointed candidate of the outgoing governor.
“I told them (Obaseki and Ighodalo) when they came to me that I am not going to support you, neither am I going to support anybody. The one I supported, it never helped anything. Rather I was insulted.
“I supported him (Obaseki) the last time, what happened? I became a stupid man,” Wike said.
Responding, Ighodalo said that it was incorrect that Governor Wike said he was not going to support us, adding that events may have overtaken his decision at that point and he is free to change his mind.
“I believe as a gentleman that he would adhere to the word he gave me but if he has changed his mind, so be it.
“When he and I spoke, we spoke on issues around governance, around Nigeria issues, around how we can create a better country, we spoke about Edo State, and at the end of the day we ended the conversations at a point where he said he will mind his business and Edo State is not part of his business.
“But again, if he’s decided to change his mind, that’s fine but the decision as to who becomes the next governor of Edo State is the decision of the Edo State people; it’s not the decision of anybody else, whether you’ve been a governor or you’re a minister.
“It’s only Edo State citizens and people that reside in Edo State who carry PVCs in Edo State that take that decision with the support of God Almighty and that’s the way I see it. I fear no man, I only fear God,” Ighodalo said.
