A former governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 10 governorship election in Edo State, Don-Pedro Obaseki, has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Obaseki, who is a cousin to the governorship candidate of the APC, Godwin Obaseki, announced his defection on Sunday evening when the leaders of the PDP, led by the state chairman, Dan Orbih, and the party’s governorship candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, visited his residence in Benin.
The filmmaker, broadcaster and lecturer had withdrawn from the APC, citing alleged discrimination and lack of transparency within the party.
He later declared to run for the governorship election on the platform of the Accord Party (AP) but was not included in the list of aspirants published recently by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, the aspirant explained that his decision to withdraw his membership from both the APC and the AP was to channel his support to the major opposition party in the state in order to ensure that the alleged plan by Governor Adams Oshiomhole to impose a “surrogate” as his successor fails.
Obaseki, whom Orbih and Ize-Iyamu described as an asset, urged voters in the state to support the agenda of the PDP by ensuring victory for the party in September.
He said, “If I have decided to join my brothers, I have decided to join my brother (Ize-Iyamu). More than anything, I am passionate about driving Oshiomhole and the APC out of Edo.
“Edo people should be allowed to decide who should lead them and not by imposing a surrogate.”
Incumbent Governor Oshiomhole was sworn in for a first term on November 12, 2008.
He was re-elected in 2012 for a second and final term which ends in November 2016.
