Joel Osaigbovo Aluge Reporting
Benin City
Leading governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Edo governorship election, Asue Ighodalo, has debunked claims of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s backing for the forthcoming election.
Ighodalo, in an interview with Truth Live News, described the claim as a distraction.
Recall that there has been speculations that Ighodalo, a seasoned lawyer and business leader, is being supported by incumbent Governor Obaseki to succeed him.
However, in response to the rumor, Ighodalo described the speculations as plots to distract him from his journey to becoming the state governor.
He said, “It is not a weakness if it is true. I would have welcomed it if it was true because it should make life easier for me.
“With the level I have heard him say a number of times that he is creating a level playing field and has no candidate, I believe him.
“If you look at the space, he has four or five friends in that space. So, I wonder why when people say what they say, they think I am his particular friend. I don’t think I am his closest friend or his favourite friend among the people in the space.
“What I have just done is not to get distracted. I see it as a distraction. I see it as people who want to move the narrative away from the focus on the people and issues affecting the state.”
The PDP aspirant also spoke about his plans for the state if elected as governor. According to him, his government will be a model one and will also drive development to the grassroots.
Ighodalo lamented states’ overdependence on federal allocations, saying such is not supposed to be the case and added that Nigeria should do better in terms of development, if the country’s resources and other endowments are factored in.