Ahead of Friday’s governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, a frontline aspirant of the party, Mr Gideon Ikhine, has stepped down from the race for Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Ikhine announced his decision to step down for the governor on Monday at a ceremony in Benin.
Obaseki, state party chairman , Dr Tony Aziegbemi, and other party leaders from across the state were in attendance.
Announcing the decision, Ikhine said there was no progress without a sacrifice, adding that the governor’s defection to the party was God’s great answer to the party and his aspiration.
He noted that two persons could have the same vision but the means of approaching them different.
Ikhine stressed that he was not actually stepping down, but ” stepping behind the man who would lead the party to glory come September 19″.
He said he and his supporters had resolved to work with the governor to ensure that a better tomorrow is achieved in the state.
Responding, Obaseki said that with the political situation in the state, history was being made in the country.
He noted that 21 years later in the present republic, democracy was taking a new turn as intellects were coming into the political process to redirect political processes and situation in the state.
The governor said that he joined the PDP because he realised that PDP was Edo and Edo was PDP.
He commended the aspirant for reconciling with the party by identifying the lapses in Edo PDP and ensuring that the lapses were addressed.
Obaseki noted that governance ought to be about the people and not about few individuals .
He stressed that deceit could not be part of political structure, but about leadership.
Meanwhile, the immediate past Speaker of Edo Assembly, Alhaji Kabiru Adjoto, has resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Adjoto, who made this known on Monday in Benin, said that he took the decision after deeply consulting with his conscience, family, friends and his teeming supporters.
He said resignation was also in line with Article 9.5(i) of the APC constitution.
He noted that the decision was nostalgically clothed with apparel of mixed feelings as it translated to leaving the party he had contributed to build for more than a decade.
He, however, said that the necessity of his decision to resign was firmly hinged on the interest of his supporters and Edo people in general, saying “my resignation takes immediate effect”.
