Governor Godwin Obaseki and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu are set to swap parties for the battle to win the soul of Edo state. Governor Obaseki has already been denied clearance for the opportunity to contest the primaries under the platform of the All progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state. As it is now, the governor has no chance in the APC.
However, he has the option of joining the PDP which is ready to accept him without glitches. Three aspirants have been screened by the PDP, a development which indicates that the party has closed the sale of nomination form for the primaries in the state.
The PDP publicity secretary has said that if Obaseki turns to the party, he will not be denied opportunity to contest, and there are plans on ground to persuade likely winners to give way for the governor to emerge as party candidate.
With this development, Obaseki will have swapped party with Ize-Iyamu. Recall that Ize-Iyamu contested against Obaseki under the platform of PDP in 2016 while Obaseki contested under APC. But now if what is being envisioned comes on stream, Obaseki will be in PDP while Ize-Iyamu will be in APC.
By then the battle will have started in earnest. Our investigation revealed that Obaseki is likely leaving the APC with all 18 local government chairmen and 12 members of the State House of Assembly for the PDP. It will be a great tidal wave as almost two/third of the APC members will move with the governor to the PDP.
Oshiomhole and his men will have plenty battles to fight to win the election. Certainly, the winner of the APC primaries will be Ize-Iyamu, the man being backed by Oshiomhole. All the PDP governors join forces with Obaseki to clear the state for the governor to emerge and run for second term.