From Tony Osauzo and Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Ex-Chairman, Senate Public Accounts, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, who represented Edo South Senatorial District in the Senate from 2015-2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was formally received into the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State yesterday.
Urhoghide who earlier announced his defection to the APC, was officially received into the party along with eight other decampees who were former local government chairmen on the platform of the PDP in the state.
They are John Akhigbe, former Etsako Central Local Government chairman; Dr Josie Ogedegbe, Igueben; Frank Ilaboya, Owan West; Andrew Osigwe, Owan East; Napoleon Agbama, Uhunmwonde; Scott Ogbemudia, Ovia North East; Austin Okoibhole, Esan North East and Mrs Ruth Osahor, Esan West, among others.
At the event in Benin City, former governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, apologized to Senator Matthew Urhoghide, for treating him unfairly while in the All Progressives Congress (APC) then.
He made the apology while welcoming Urhoghide and other decampees into Edo APC.
Oshiomhole said that supporting Senator Ehigie Uzamere against the candidacy of Matthew Urhoghide was one of the costly mistakes he has ever made and which has made the party to lose Edo South to the PDP twice.
“I was misadvised. I am not going to blame those who misadvised me, but I accept the responsibility that I took the decision to support now former Senator Uzamere.
“And when I did, I later realized it. The late Esogban of blessed memory told me, my son, you made a mistake.
“There are several others who spoke in the same vein. And he came to me and said, Comrade, this your decision to support someone else against me, I pray and believe that you will regret it sooner than later.
“That Urhoghide, you remember, I have to do an advert when we find it impossible to vacate you. I did an advert and I said that the election is not about Uzamere, but it is all about me.
“We need to have our own in Abuja. I recall very well those statements that we made because it was tough.
“I will go to places, we do the talking and we will ask him to keep quiet, he should not be seen so that he doesn’t spoil our market because it was too late to make a change and in the end, Uzamere won.
“After he won, he traded the ticket after being a senator, returned to PDP. Now, God decided, using Matthew to teach us a lesson.
“So, for two consecutive elections, spanning eight years. Senator Matthew taught us a lesson.
“We keep losing Edo South Senatorial zone to him. Which is why he had Senate for two terms, 2015-2023, and he later became chairman of one of the important committees in the Senate, Public Account.
“So, Senator Matthew as I have always said from the first time, I met you and I said I apologized to you from the bottom of my heart for my error of judgment and you have sufficiently punished us by making us lose Edo South two consecutive times and now that you are back, there can be no questions that we will regain Edo South and once you regain Edo South, you have won Edo State”, Oshiomhole said.
Earlier, Senator Urhoghide said that he was so happy to be back to the party he co-founded.
He said that he has come to contribute his quota to the development of the party.
Urhoghide said that the present administration has done its best and that he believes that the APC will do better.
He promised that he would join the party to restore all the battered institutions in the state.
He called on all the party faithful to go all out to solicit votes, noting that it is time to work.
On his part, the state APC Chairman, Emperor Jaret Tenebe, apologized for whatever decisions that he may have taken that offended the party.
He added that he would keep doing his best to woo members from other political parties into the APC as democracy is a game of numbers.