THE governorship aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and some leaders of the governing party in Edo State have united to field one person during the party’s June 2 primary election.
The aspirants also rose in defence of the National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, whom they described as a committed and focused leader, who should be adequately supported to succeed.
The APC governorship aspirants are Chris Ogiemwonyi, Dr. Pius Odubu, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (rtd.), and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, while the leaders are Saturday Idehen, Rev. Peter Obadan, Lucky Imasuen, Senaror Francis Alimikhena and Pally Iriase.
Other APC leaders are Peter Akpatason, Johnson Oghuma, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, Gen. Cecil Esekhaegbe (rtd.), Henry Idahagbon, Chief Francis Inegbeniki, Patrick Obahiagbon, Ken Ihiesenkhien, Thomas Okosun and Patrick Ikhariale.
The governorship aspirants and leaders stated that they were committed to the motto and slogan of APC: justice, peace, unity and change respectively, in order to foster a common purpose towards the success of the great party in the September 19 this year’s governorship elections in Edo.
The aspirants, in a statement, said: “As aspirants seeking to contest the office of Governor of Edo State, we recognise that only one person can be fielded and we hereby pledge to support whoever emerges among us, as the candidate of the party.
“We remain united in the pursuit of a common goal of ensuring that our party wins the governorship election in Edo State, coming up in September this year. As loyal party members and leaders, we are committed to a free and fair process of selecting the governorship standard bearer of the party and we are all committed to abiding by the process.
“Reports from Governor Godwin Obaseki’s Secretary to Government, Osarodion Ogie, and Media Adviser, Crusoe Osagie, purporting to accuse our amiable and indefatigable National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, of masterminding the process of selecting a candidate through mock primaries, thereby breaching guidelines for the containment of COVID-19, are not only malicious, vexatious and untrue, but extremely irresponsible on the part of Edo State government that has failed abysmally to diligently address and implement the guidelines issued by the Federal Government through the Presidential Task Force (PTF) On COVID-19 and the Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC).
–The Nation