Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
A chieftain of the Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Hon. Chief Henry Duke Tenebe has said that it is not out of place for the state Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki to decide who succeeds him next year.
In his Christmas message to Edo people as well as PDP members in the state, Tenebe who is known to be a staunch ally of Obaseki, said that the governor did not infringe on any constitutional provision in seeking to determine who succeeds him.
He further submitted that it is within the purview of the governor to seek to know who succeeds him given the laudable vision he has set in motion for the state as well as the need for continuity, insisting those who have taken the governor to the cleaners on the issue of a successor have not been fair to him at all.
“Hon. Tenebe believes Gov. Obaseki has not committed any crime by seeking to have a say on who succeeds him noting that whereas other governors in his shoes would simply “impose” their anointed candidate on the party and the people not minding whose ox is gorged, Gov. Obaseki is going about the issue in a free, fair, democratic and procedural way,” Tenebe said.
In the estimation of Hon. Tenebe, there are inherent benefits to be derived from the governor having a say in who succeeds him.
He stated that Obaseki’s laudable economic blueprint may suffer serious setbacks if a myopic and inept person takes over the baton of leadership
Hon. Tenebe appealed to PDP stakeholders in the state to unite behind their governor in order to sustain the legacy of good governance and leadership,.
According to him, allowing meddlesome interlopers to come in between them and their authentic leaders would further widen the cracks in the party as well as lead to electoral defeat which he said the ruling PDP does not deserve at a time like this.
He said governor Obaseki has run a good race and, therefore, deserves a worthy successor who possesses the tenacity, imagination and grit to complete the marathon and take Edo State to the promised land.