By Ehichioya Steve Odion
Former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant, now a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Engr. Gideon Ikhine has hinted how he played a major role in the victory of Governor Godwin Obaseki in his second tenure election.
He made this disclosure in an interview with The Groove Watch News in Benin City.
On his relationship with governor Godwin Obaseki when he came into the PDP, Engr. Ikhine said he had a good working relationship with him, adding that it was the reason the governor won the 2020 election. "But thereafter, we were not invited into the governance. Then I decided to face politics. The fact that I was not part of his governance did not affect my relationship with the governor".
"I heard he gave a lot of people money. Governor Obaseki never offered me any money. When he came to PDP he asked me what I wanted and I told him all I want was for him to win the election, not for any personal consideration. I even borrowed him my vehicles which i think after four years he would give them back to me. He did not offer any money to me as compensation. However, I did not know the arrangement Sen. Clifford Ordia, Sen. Matthew Uroghide, Chief Dan Obih and other national officers had with the Governor".
Engr. Ikhine further said that before Governor Obaseki came to PDP that he had already gone round the 192 wards in the state where he met with all the party leaders severally. He said he later moved to Abuja for the same consultation and spent over a month, all at his own cost. "While in Abuja I met with Chief Lucky Igbinedion, Mr. Victor Oyofo, Tunde Akogun, Chief Mike Ogiadomhe who turned their back against the party then and I begged them to come back and they did. They told me it was Chief Dan Orbih that drove them from the party. Those were my efforts that brought them back fully to the party".
Engr. Ikhine also disclosed that he campaigned with Governor Obaseki for three months with his personal vehicles and in the process, he lost one SUV in the course of the campaign. "I equally gave him my campaign office and the structures I had. The most expensive commodity in life is not money, but time. You can lose money and get it back. You can lose friends and get them back. But when you lose time, you can never get it back. I see it as my contribution to his emergence as Governor".
"Having worked with Governor Obaseki what was my reward? I was a major contributor to his emergence and his victory at the poll. But when the leader brought him to impose him on us, they expected that I will fight back, but I never did. When they called me in my Senatorial District and asked me to allow Governor Obaseki to do a second tenure, I told them if that is their wish, I had no objection. I honoured their request. They said four years from now I Engr. Gideon Ikhine and Barr. Kenneth Imansuangbon will be given the right of first refusal to run in 2024. Since then, they never gathered again and they have been playing second fiddle to the Governor because of personal gains".
Engr. Ikhine further said that he ran in 2020 because he believed he was the best candidate and that he would have won, if Governor Obaseki did not come in.
"I have a vision which will only come to pass through the collective will of the people. If given the opportunity to market my vision, I know people will buy into it. Edo people are looking for a saviour and I'm sure that saviour will come from me".
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