By Hon Desmond Ugbo_ .
The road to the Edo State governorship election on September 21st, 2024 has been marked by a fresh outbreak of hostilities within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). The party’s gubernatorial candidate, Asue Ighodalo, and the outgoing governor, Godwin Obaseki, have become embroiled in a bitter war of words that threatens to derail the party’s chances of success.
The conflict between Ighodalo and Obaseki first came to light when the PDP candidate reportedly referred to the current governor as a “bad head” and a “deductive factor” to his own candidacy. This scathing assessment did not sit well with Obaseki, who is said to have retaliated by avoiding to campaign openly for Ighodalo.
According to sources close to Obaseki, the conflict was sparked by Ighodalo’s assertion that the governor’s unpopularity was hampering his own campaign efforts. Ighodalo is said to have told Obaseki that everywhere he goes, the people are quick to point fingers at the current governor, branding him a “serial betrayal” and casting doubt on the PDP’s chances in the upcoming election.
The war of words has sent shockwaves through the PDP camp, which was already grappling with the fallout from Obaseki’s perceived high-handedness as governor. Ighodalo, in a moment of apparent frustration, confided to a close associate that he was “confused and don’t know what to do” as he felt he was “giving up on daily basis.”
The PDP candidate went on to draw parallels between the current situation and the party’s 2016 gubernatorial campaign, when the former governor, Adams Oshiomhole, had actively campaigned for Obaseki. Ighodalo lamented, “See how Oshiomhole has taken over everywhere in Benin. The same way he campaigned for Godwin in 2016.”
The internal strife within the PDP has undoubtedly cast a pall over the party’s preparations for the Edo gubernatorial election. With Obaseki and Ighodalo at loggerheads, the party’s unity and cohesion have been severely tested, potentially undermining its chances of success on September 21st. As the campaign season heats up, the PDP leadership will need to act quickly to resolve the conflict and present a united front to the electorate.