The 2023 presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said that the party made the right choice by electing Dr. Asue Ighodalo as its candidate in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.
Atiku said this in a statement on Saturday.
Ighodalo, who won the party’s governorship primary conducted last week Thursday, received his certificate of return on Tuesday at the PDP secretariat in Abuja.
However, the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, won the parallel governorship primary organised by a faction of the party.
In his statement, Atiku pleaded with all other aspirants and aggrieved stakeholders to reconcile and negotiate to make sure that Edo remains a PDP state.
He said, “The election of a thorough bred technocrat by the PDP as the party’s candidate in Edo State signposts the urgency that the PDP gives to ensuring that the next governor of Edo State is a round peg in a round hole.
“The PDP leadership and members in Edo State must be congratulated also, for an amazing primary election that produced the quality of candidate to fly the flag of our party in the upcoming election.
“The party has made a choice, and it is not in dispute that the choice is a good one.”
Atiku added, “Dr Ighodalo, apart from being a brilliant mind, in whose hands the affairs of Edo State will steer on stable waters, is also a fine gentleman.
“I believe that our candidate has what it takes to bring everyone willing to work for the interest of the PDP under the huge umbrella of our party.”
The Edo governorship election has been fixed for September.