A governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Edo governorship poll Asue Ighodalo has dismissed claims of Governor Obaseki’s backing for the election, describing it as a distraction.
Many people believe that Ighodalo, a seasoned lawyer and business executive, has Governor Obaseki of Edo’s support and is likely to succeed him.
But Ighodalo says the speculations are plots to distract him from his journey to becoming the Edo State governor.
“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,” he said on Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
“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,” he maintained, adding that: “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 South-South state if elected as governor. According to him, his government will be a model state and will drive development to the grassroots.
Ighodalo lamented states’ overdependence on federal allocations, saying such is not supposed to be the case. He believes Nigeria should do better in terms of development if the country’s resources and other endowments are factored in.