Follow Us on Google
From Tony Osauzo, Benin
As time draws near for governorship primaries in Edo State, the Legacy Coalition of the Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, expressed optimism that its preferred aspirant would emerge as the candidate of the party for the September 21 governorship election.
The Legacy faction of the PDP consists of members of the party who are 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 in a chat with journalists in Benin, 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 from Edo Central, 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 National, we expect a level playing field, we have been called to Abuja and we have told them that zoning has not been part of PDP as far as Edo State is concerned. We have also advised the National 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 best way to get the best out of the various aspirants that have emerged is to open it up to all as it has always been. There is this argument that it is the turn of 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. If you look at Obaseki, the greatest legacy he is going to leave for this state is the fact that you don’t see him ruling as a Benin rather he rules like a Benin. In other words, a typical Benin considers every other person except himself, they are most liberal. Obaseki is next to General Ogbemudia in that.
“That is why I think he should not be part of this charade called endorsement that they are doing here and there.
“I saw a statement of 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 is, a globally recognized administrator is saying that he is an aspirant, he has not withdrawn from the race, you have Anselm Ojezua and others then you go to make such announcement?”, Osakue queried.
