Shaibu: Okpebholo is a homeboy | No one knew Ighodalo in his village before guber race

Philip Shaibu, deputy governor of Edo, says Monday Okpebholo, standard-bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), will win the governorship election. 

The Edo governorship election will hold on September 21.

Speaking when he featured on a news programme on TVC on Tuesday night, Shaibu claimed that majority of registered voters are united in their choice of Okpebholo.

“We are very ready for the election and we are sure of victory because we have all decided that we don’t want a governor that divides us. We want a governor that will unite us and bring development. We are all united to vote APC,” he said.

Shaibu alleged that Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, has divided the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“The governor has created division in his party and that has led to the exodus of members out of PDP to APC,” he said.

“We left APC to join PDP when we perceived that there was oppression and returning (to APC), we return with the same people plus the legacy PDP.

“So, as we speak today, the heart of PDP has left APC and what is (remaining) there is just Obaseki and his so-called group.

“I am confident because politics is about structure. The structure of PDP has joined the structure of APC. And when it comes to practical politics, people control their areas. Those who are the heart of the politics of Edo state are now in APC.

“And when it comes to public sympathy and what the people want — they don’t want another governor that will come and divide us. They want development. They want to touch their governor.

“They don’t want a packaged governor again. Obaseki was a packaged governor. They now need a natural person who they can feel, who speaks their language and understands what they feel and Monday Okpebholo can feel that gap.”

Shaibu added that Asue Ighodalo, PDP governorship candidate in Edo, offered little as a member of the Obaseki administration.

“Edo people see Okpebholo as a homeboy, they see him as a natural person, and an organic person that they can support. That is what also attracted me to him because we are done with these technocrats. We are done with it in Edo state,” Shaibu said.

“Obaseki has proven that it is not about where you’re coming from, it is about the character and we have seen that character in Asue.

“Asue and Obaseki are just the same. Asue is a visitor. Asue has been in the state now as an economic adviser. He was not known in his village until he decided that he wanted to contest for election.

“But now he is looking for votes. You can see from his first visit to his village. They had to take an interpreter to his village.”