Governor Godwin Obaseki on Friday afternoon, June 19, 2020, finally made his long-awaited defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He registered as a member of the party at the PDP Secretariat in Benin City, the state capital, obtaining his membership card to complete the process.‎

Addressing ecstatic party leaders and supporters after completing registration formalities, Obaseki promised to provide effective leadership for Edo State PDP and to lead it to victory during the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

Displaying his membership card, he said: “I automatically become the leader of this party. I want to assure all of you (that) I am prepared to provide leadership.

“I am prepared to provide leadership that will lead this party to victory. I am prepared to provide leadership that will not only put PDP into office in Edo State but as a ruling party in Edo State, we will make sure that the level of progress, growth and participation in the political system and our people is unrivalled in this country.

“I am very happy to be here. With the reception I have received since I drove in here has been ecstatic. The energy I see in this party is the kind of energy I require to take Edo to the level we should go to next.”

Obaseki’s declaration for the party means the effective take-over of the state from the All Progressives Congress (APC) from which he resigned on Tuesday after being controversially disqualified from contesting the party’s forthcoming gubernatorial primary.

Obaseki is expected to emerge the PDP candidate for the 2020 Edo governorship election.

Towards this end, the party’s governorship primaries originally scheduled for today and tomorrow have been shifted to next week Tuesday, June 23.

PDP leaders at both the state and national levels have in the past few days been engaged in complex negotiations with Obaseki and top officials of his government ahead of his defection.