Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has stated that the fate of his deputy, Philip Shaibu, who has declared his intention to run for governor, will be determined by the millions of supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.

Obaseki made this remark during an interview with journalists on Thursday. He acknowledged the strained relationship with his deputy but emphasized that Shaibu has the constitutional right to run for the governorship.

“The relationship, as you know, has been cordial,” Obaseki said. “He (Philip) wants to run for the office I currently occupy, and he is free to. I think as a Nigerian, he has the constitutional right to run, nobody can or should stop him.“

When asked if he would support Shaibu’s candidacy, Obaseki stated that his individual vote would not determine the outcome.

“I’m only one out of millions of our party members in Edo State,” he explained. “I don’t think my vote alone will determine whether he becomes the party’s flag bearer.”

Obaseki also expressed concern about the increasing hardships faced by Nigerians due to rising food prices. He called for unity and collaboration among PDP governors to address the challenges.

“We came to see Governor Bala and, as you know, he’s our Chairman, Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, so we decided to come and see him this afternoon, to congratulate him on his victory and discuss some issues relating to the PDP Governors’ Forum,” he said.