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From Tony Osauzo, Benin
As the governorship primaries in Edo State draws near, the Legacy Coalition of the Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, expressed optimism that its preferred aspirant would emerge as candidate of the party for the September 21 governorship election.
The legacy faction of the PDP comprises members loyal to the National Vice Chairman, South-South of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, and those that defected with Governor Godwin Obaseki from the All Progressives Congress (APC) but who have fallen out with the governor.
One of the leaders of the group, Martins Osakue, said it was expecting a credible, free and fair governorship primary election to be conducted by the national leadership of the party in which its candidate will carry the day.
He faulted the leader of the party in Edo Central, Archbishop Anthony Okosun, for supporting an attempt to present an aspirant, Asue Ighodalo, as a consensus aspirant, pointing out that as a leader, he ought to play a neutral role rather than taking sides.
“We expect a free and fair election from the nation. We expect a level playing field. We have been called to Abuja and we have told them that zoning has not been part of the PDP as far as Edo State is concerned. We have also advised the nation to learn from the mismanagement of the last presidential primary election process where zoning became the catalyst of the monumental loss we suffered.
“For Edo, we think that the best way to get the best out of the various aspirants, who have emerged, is to open it up to all as it has always been. There is this argument that it is the turn of Edo Central; it is the turn of this or that. I have looked at the state and I asked myself, has Benin really been in power? I don’t think so.
“I saw a statement credited to the senatorial chairman of Edo Central which is quite unacceptable. You are to superintend over a party; this is a party where somebody like Felix Akhabue, a globally recognised administrator, is saying that he is an aspirant. He has not withdrawn from the race. You have Anselm Ojezua and others, and then you go and make such an announcement,” he stated.
