Obaseki Will Defect, But No Automatic Ticket- PDP Chairman
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State, Hon Tony Aziegbemi has said that the Governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki will defect to the party from the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC.
He, however, insisted that there would be no automatic governorship ticket for Obaseki.
The PDP has fixed its governorship primary for June 19th and 20th and the All Progressives Congress (APC) has disqualified Obaseki from contesting in the party’s primary.
“There is nothing like automatic ticket for anybody, it is like that in any democratic environment, there is a process as laid down by the constitution of the party and that we will follow.
“But I can confirm to you that the governor, his deputy and the entire All Progressives Congress (APC) structure in the state will be joining the PDP soon. We have been in touch in the last few days, by tomorrow, I will be able to confirm the exact date he will be joining with his team.”
On the reports that Obaseki has obtained PDP membership form in ward 4, Oredo local government area, Aziegbemi said “I am not aware of that yet.”
Reacting to the development, a governorship aspirant of the PDP, Barr Ken Imasuagbon said he would resist any attempt to hand over the party’s ticket to Obaseki ahead of the state governorship elections. Imasuagbon who spoke with newsmen on Monday in Benin, however, said the governor was welcome to join the party but that he must join the queue.
According to him, “Any attempt to hand the party’s primaries would be met with serious resistance, in fact, there will be no PDP primaries or whatever if the party’s leadership tries it.
“This is not a military coup nor are we in military rule, the governor must subject himself to the party’s primaries; he will need to queue with the other aspirants if he so wishes to join, but certainly not handing him the ticket automatically.
“Have you heard before that somebody will join a party and within three days he will be given the ticket. Did he buy the party’s nomination form, was he screened?
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