Politics

Edo Election: APC Confident of Victory Amid PDP Disarray

Published

6 months ago

Jul 5, 2024.

Edo Election: APC Confident of Victory Amid PDP Disarray

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo is confident about winning the upcoming governorship election in the state, citing disarray within the ruling party.

Eko Hot Blog gathered that an Abuja Federal High Court, on Thursday, invalidated the primary election that produced the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asuen Ighodalo, due to the disenfranchisement of authentic delegates.

The APC highlighted that, besides the PDP’s internal crisis, their candidate Ighodalo is perceived as disconnected from the people, giving their candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, an advantage. Okpebholo is described as a grassroots politician.

Speaking to journalists at the State House, Abuja, on Friday, Edo APC leader Senator Adams Oshiomhole and Minister of Niger Delta Development Abubakar Momoh explained why they believe the September 2024 election will favour their party.

Senator Oshiomhole mentioned that they visited President Bola Tinubu with their candidate and his running mate, Hon Dennis Idahosa, to update him on the campaign’s progress. Oshiomhole denied allegations that the APC orchestrated the PDP’s primary election crisis, emphasizing that it was an internal issue of the PDP.

Reacting to the allegations, Oshiomhole said, “I think you should dismiss that because this is PDP versus PDP and you know that by the law, another party cannot go into intra-party conflicts in court. So if it is convenient for them to explain that you can dismiss it without asking me.

“The fact that there had been division in Edo before their primaries and after their primaries is an open secret, and the issues in dispute are also very open. The PDP legacy group complained that the man they gave their master bedroom has completely chased them out of the building and now they’re under the rain and as we speak they are still trying to settle.

“Those who couldn’t find accommodation, we picked them one by one and don’t forget that those in that Osadebe Avenue were my own creation in the sense that I supported Obeseki to become governor and so I have people who still have affection for me.

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“Edo people won’t forget in a hurry what I did when I was governor and those of them who didn’t quite readily appreciate now compare the past with the present. So if they have disputes or disagreements which they couldn’t settle and they choose to settle it in the court and the court nullifies the process…

“I mean you read the judgment so it’s not me. How can anybody say… if you know Dan Orbih, the leader of the Legacy Group, he was my fierce critic when I was in government, so what power do I have? How can we, a non-state group, have power to influence a seasoned politician to move against themselves?

“So this is purely PDP intra-party, and I think the lesson is very clear, namely that parties must be encouraged to obey the laws that regulate the conduct of primaries, and that rules are meant to be obeyed if you formulate your constitution.

“It is the base of the contract between party members. Now, the Electoral Act is meant to ensure that everybody played the game within you know, within the rules, so we have nothing to do with it.”

On the purpose of the visit and the parties’ standings for the upcoming election, Senator Oshiomhole said, “We went with the candidate and the running mate to give the President… he is the leader of the party to give him an update on the campaigns going on what we are doing and the fact that we are harvesting more and more people every day decamping.

“I’m surprised that rather than speculating about who will face what, you are not a witness to the fact that the entire PDP in Egor a month ago all the wards decamped to APC. Just last week in my local government, the remaining remnants of PDP decamped to APC and across Edo Central, the same thing. Where have you heard of APC people decamping to? People are jumping out because the umbrella is leaking and this is the rainy season,” Oshiomhole said.

Minister of Niger Delta Development, Momoh, highlighted the APC’s advantage over the PDP and Labour Party’s candidate, Olumide Akpata, stating that the APC’s candidate already had Edo North and Central Senatorial Districts secured, with the South Senatorial District being the primary battleground where votes would be contested.

“Well, that’s not correct. The reason being that we have been in the politics of the state long before now. First, let nobody make the mistake of using the election of 2024 to judge what is going to happen as far as the votes of Oreedo and other local governments in Benin City will be. First, to answer your question.

“Yes, Edo North is a no-go area because my leader, myself, and a host of others including Dan Orbih today who’s coming from the legacy group, we are from Edo North, anytime any day maximally we can deliver Edo North. Edo Central there is no doubt that our candidate Senator Monday Okpebholo, will sweep Edo Central because he’s a homeboy.

“He’s a senator, elected as a Senator for the very first time since 1999. This is the very first person who has won an election outside the PDP cycle. So such a person you should know that he’s loved by the people. And anytime any day they will vote for him because he will speak to them in their dialect, but the other man can’t do that. The Esan man will tell you I cannot be a stranger in the government house in Osadebe Avenue. Let me better vote for the person who can always say Hara and the person will respond.

“Then, on the issue of Edo South, we have been doing elections, the margin of water so will be small. And if you want to go into real analysis today, the deputy of APC is from Edo South, who already has two local governments, a member of the House of Representatives, Dennis Idahosa, so he is a member of the House of Representatives, two terms, any time any day he will always win the two local governments and he has fought and defeated very powerful people in that local government, are you now going to say that now that he has been made a running mate that will not deliver those two local governments? We already whatever you have two local governments in our pockets.

“Then if you want real analysis, Orhionmwon local government that is where you have Dr. Pius Odubu, the deputy to our leader and that is where you have Pastor Ize Iyamu, we have a host of politicians who of course anytime any day they will deliver that local government. The only area that is going to be a battlefield for the three political parties.

“Don’t forget that the Labour candidate is from that area too. So it’s not entirely for the PDP, while the labour man will be dragging to get some votes in Oredo and Ikpoba-Okha, the APC will also be dragging some votes there because there we have a running mate and so also PDP. So that place is going to be a battlefield and by the grace of God, APC is still going to win. And if we don’t win, those three local governments, with what we have gotten in Edo North, Edo Central and what we are going to get in the local government.

“In fact, don’t make the mistake that we are not going to win. So as far as we are concerned, whether court judgment or no court judgment, we are very hopeful and optimistic that 21st September this year, Obaseki will be preparing to leave the Government House,” Momoh said.

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