The new Deputy Governor of Edo State, Omobayo Godwins, stated on Tuesday that he never dreamed of becoming the deputy governor of Edo State anytime soon.
While recounting how he lost the 2023 House of Representatives election for Akoko Edo Federal Constituency, Godwins alleged that he won the election but that his victory was taken away by “political buccaneers.”
Speaking in an interview on Channels Television today, Godwins said he had expected to re-contest the seat in 2027 only for him to become the deputy governor of the state, which he described as an “act of God.”
“If you look at my acceptance speech, I tagged it as an act of God. Of course, I ran for House of Representatives in 2023; though I won, the political buccaneers took it away. All I wanted to do was re-contest for the seat in 2027,” he said.
Speaking on the 2023 election, which he contested on the platform of the Labour Party (LP), the Edo Deputy Governor said that he took the two dominant parties in the state—the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC)—by storm.
Though he lost the election to Peter Akpatason of the APC, Godwins attributed his popularity to the general acceptance of the LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
He further noted that the general acceptance enjoyed by Obi robbed him of taking his campaign to all sections in the Akoko-Edo federal constituency.
While describing the LP as a movement, Godwin thanked the party for giving him the platform to contest the election.
The new deputy governor also countered speculations by oppositions that he is still a card-carrying member of the LP up until his swearing-in as deputy governor, explaining that he joined the PDP a few months after losing at the election petition tribunal, where he challenged the declaration of Akpatason as the winner of the election.
Godwins further reiterated his allegiance to the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, noting that he will forever remain loyal to him as his principal.
News About Nigeria reported that the 38-year-old became the deputy governor of Edo State on Monday following the removal of Philip Shaibu by the state House of Assembly.
Shaibu was impeached by the state assembly for “revealing government secrets.”
