I Can't Be Intimidated Out of Edo Governorship Election - Shaibu

Governor Godwin Obaseki prefers another aspirant, not Mr Shaibu, to succeed him.

The Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, says he cannot be intimidated out of the 21 September governorship election in the state.

Mr Shaibu stated this when he returned his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nomination form for the governorship election, at the party national secretariat in Abuja on Thursday.

The deputy governor, who alleged that some elders of the party had been bought over, however, expressed delight that youths and some elders were strongly behind him.

“By the grace of God, our support is organic, it is not procured. I am not an aspirant that is being pushed; I am not an aspirant that is cut off from the people.

“Edo people, the voters know me, they touch me, (and) they feel me. We have already dealt with the issue of godfatherism, but it is rearing its ugly head again.

“I am happy that the governor had told us that even if he tries to impose somebody on us as the new godfather, we should deal with him.

“We are standing on the mandate of the people. My support is organic and with Shaibu, PDP will retain its seat in Edo State,” he said.

‘Edo about to be hijacked again’

Mr Shaibu said the journey for the rescue of Edo started in 2006, and that he and others were conscious of what they wanted to achieve. Hi

“We said that we needed to take our state back and return it to the people and we did take the state back and returned it to the people.

“Along the line, something happened and the state is about to be hijacked again and we said no.

“This election is another challenge, they want to take the state from Edo people and return it to businessmen and we are saying no because Edo State cannot return to Egypt.”

The deputy governor said the only way Edo State can move forward is for political power to reside with the people.

“PDP says power to the people and not power to business friends or business colleagues”.

Mr Shaibu said he was in the race not because of any inordinate ambition, but for his desire to save Edo from “businessmen” who wanted to take over the state.

He expressed confidence that if given the PDP ticket, that party would not only win the election but that Edo would be made a reference point in Nigeria.

He said that he had already developed a blueprint of what he wanted to do when elected the state governor.

“I have set up a committee already on what we are going to do. I understand the feeling of the people.”

PDP preaches peace

At the party secretariat, the PDP Deputy National Organising Secretary, Pascal Adigwe, while acknowledging Mr Shaibu’s record of achievements, urged him and other PDP aspirants to embrace peace in the pursuit of their ambition.

“We know you as we know others. It is our hope and belief that in this race, you will run it well. We are only begging, let there be peace.

“Let us go into the primary and ultimately the election, putting peace in front.

“Let us consider the wishes of the people we want to govern, how do they want to be governed? We can craft our aspirations and ambitions around what the people want.”

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).