Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and two others will today battle for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for this year’s election.
Obaseki, who was disqualified by the All Progressives Congress (APC) penultimate Friday, had at the weekend joined the PDP. The party fixed its governorship primary election for today at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin.
Three other persons who purchased the nomination forms for the poll are; Kenneth Imasuagbon, Hon. Ogbeide Ihama and Gideon Ikhine.
However, Ikhine on Monday stepped down for Obaseki, making the contest to be between Obaseki, Ihama and Imasuagbon.
A source at the PDP told our reporter that Ihama has also stepped down for Obaseki after withdrawing his case against him at the court, saying that the contest is between Obaseki and Imasuagbon.
Similarly, impeccable sources at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja, confirmed to our correspondent last night that the Edo governor had the support of the National Working Committee (NWC), PDP governors, Board of Trustees (BoT), National Caucus and other critical stakeholders in the party.
A member of the NWC, confirmed to our correspondent that Obaseki was the best man to match his former party, the APC and its “antics.”
“He has the financial sagacity and political clout to deal with the APC and its antics. And we can’t afford to field another person as our candidate, “he said.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, also told Daily trust last night in a telephone chat that, “Nothing will stop the primary from holding.”
However, the NWC has dissolved the South South Zonal Committee of the party and announced a new Caretaker Committee.
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt presided over by Justice Obile has struck out the suit filed by Mr. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, seeking to stop Obaseki from participating in today’s governorship primary election.
Counsel for the plaintiff, D. C. Denwigwe, SAN, had made an oral application informing the court that the parties in the suit had resolved their differences.
Denwigwe told the court that the parties had settled and directed them (their counsel) to withdraw the case.
He apologised to the court for the inconveniences they had caused and appealed to it to strike out the matter based on the oral prayers.
All parties also agreed to the motion moved by Demwigwe.
The trial judge, Justice Emmanuel Obile, struck out the matter following the submission of the counsels.
Justice Obile, in his ruling, commended the counsel and parties for settling out of court, saying that was the proper thing to do.