he meeting, convened by former deputy governor Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, had the presence of various party heavyweights.
The gathering, held in Oghiadomhe's residence in Fuga, included the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, former Senator Yisa Braimoh, former House of Representatives member Johnson Abolagba, and former House of Assembly Speaker Kabiru Adjoto.
Other attendees comprised Otunba Olu Fashanu, Dr. Bolaji Ojebuobuo, Joe Ekpenkhio, Omo Ezomon, Uyi Maiaika, Henry Tenebe, serving and former Edo State PDP functionaries, as well as all the LGA council chairmen. They collectively endorsed Ighodalo as the favored aspirant for the PDP ticket ahead of the September governorship election.
Ighodalo, rumored to have Governor Godwin Obaseki's backing, is perceived as being in opposition to Shaibu's ambition to succeed him.
Shaibu, addressing his supporters in his country home, Jattu, Etsako West Local Government, shortly after the Auchi Day Annual Celebration on Tuesday, expressed his displeasure. He considered the Monday meeting held in Oghiadomhe's residence a slight on his office as Deputy Governor.
Shaibu said, “Information reaching me says that Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, an elder of our party, called a meeting of PDP leaders in the six local governments of Edo North in his country home, Fugar, Etsako Central local government and pressurised them to endorse one of the aspirants for the forthcoming governorship primary election in the state.
“To me, that meeting did not hold, because, by virtue of my office as Deputy Governor, I remain the leader of the PDP in Edo North and the deputy leader of the party in the state. Any meeting held in the senatorial zone without my knowledge is deemed null and void.
“I respect Chief Mike Oghiadomhe as my elder and as my predecessor in office. Any meeting held in Edo North without my knowledge or input remains null and void.”
Shaibu said Oghiadomhe would not have allowed such to happen when he was in office as Deputy Governor and as a leader of Edo North.
“PDP is a party of structure and of hierarchy, well defined in its constitution. I plead with all of you to remain calm and not be provoked by this action because after the primaries, we need to come together as members of the PDP, so, we will need everybody to win the main election in September.
“Chief Oghiadomhe is trying to provoke us but we will remain calm because this project is not about Philip Shaibu, it is God’s own project,” he added.
