I Stopped Ighodalo From Becoming Edo Governor To Prevent Obaseki From Choosing A Successor – Wike

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has revealed that he deliberately worked against Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2024 Edo State governorship election, to prevent former Governor Godwin Obaseki from having his successor.

Wike made the disclosure on Monday while addressing a stakeholders’ meeting of the rainbow coalition in Abuja, attributing the All Progressives Congress (APC) victory in the poll to a strategic alliance formed between aggrieved PDP factions and the APC.

“In the last election that took place in Edo State, the victory was as a result of the coalition between the legacy of PDP and the APC,” Wike stated.

“We had to work together to make sure that the former governor, Governor Obaseki, did not produce his successor. And that is the truth. I was behind it, and I don’t have any regrets about it. So when people say that nothing like coalition, they tell lies,” he added.

The FCT minister noted that although Ighodalo was an exceptional candidate whom he described as a former bank managing director, the candidate visited his residence multiple times seeking political backing, which he outrightly declined due to his political rift with Obaseki.

“He came to my house more than three times. I said, ‘Listen, you’re a good candidate, but for this election, I’m sorry, because this election is between us and the man who is bringing you, called Obaseki, ungrateful person, so returning you is like bringing him back, so I’m sorry. You have to fail,’ and he failed,” Wike recalled.

Wike asserted that both incumbent Governor Monday Okpebholo and Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North) can validate the pivotal role the coalition played in unseating the PDP administration in the state.

“The truth of the matter is that it has been there, depending on how it is worked out. So the governor today, Senator Okpebholo, will know sincerely that it was that coalition,” he said.

“Senator Adams Oshiomhole will also attest to the fact that it was that coalition that made us to defeat the PDP, even though I’m a member of PDP, but for that purpose I said I would not support the incumbent governor to produce a successor, even though the candidate was a very good candidate,” Wike concluded.