The People’s Democratic Party(PDP) leaders, in the three Etsako Local Government Areas of Edo North, have rejected Barrister Pascal Ugbomhe as replacement for the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Comrade Philip Shaibu.
The leaders, in a terse press statement made available to journalists in Benin City, were miffed by the report suggesting that Governor Godwin Obaseki is considering Ugbomhe for the position of Deputy Governorship to remain with him till November 12 this year at the termination of his term in office.
A source close to the leadership in Etsako Federal Constituency, claimed that to win Edo North, you need the 158,000 votes of Etsako West compared to 70,000 votes of Etsako Central.
Above all, Oshiomhole and Shaibu are from Etsako West, hence it is not politically expedient to look beyond Etsako West on the issue of Shaibu replacement. More so; Uzairue is a more populated clan than Ekperi clan that Ugbomhe hails from.
“We can’t risk the protest vote of Etsako West in the forthcoming governorship election and it is a political tradition to always replace a person in case of death or resignation with another person of the same tribal or ethnic stock.”
Another PDP leader from Etsako West claimed that Etsako Central has had their turn as Deputy Governor 1999-2007 in the of person Chief Mike Oghiadome, so Etsako West should replace Etsako West as Deputy Governor.
Sources told our correspondent in Benin City that PDP leaders and majority of PDP members are vehemently opposed to the choice of Ugbomhe having worked against the party in the 2023 general election because he failed to secure senatorial ticket.
“It’s morally and politically not justifiable for the Governor to choose Pascal Ugbomhe as Shaibu’s replacement, a man who worked against our party last year.
“Besides, it smacks of vaunting ambition on the part of Pascal Ugbomhe with his unnecessary advertisement and publicity for the position of Deputy Governor when infact the impeachment process is still on going,” one of the leaders said.
PDP leaders in the three Etsako Local Government Areas are of the view that the choice of Ugbomhe as Deputy Governor will spell doom for the party and that the backlash will lead to mass exodus from the party as critical major stakeholders are of the belief that his choice is being orchestrated by opposition party to truncate Asue Ighodalo’s victory in the September 21 election.
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