Edo PDP Delegates will Determine Zoning, Says State Chairman

. Imasungbon: Zoning to central senatorial district will ensure justice, equity  and fairness

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Ahead of the Edo State governorship election next year, the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, has said that the party’s delegates would determine where the governorship candidate would come from and not the party leadership.

This is as a governorship aspirant on the platform of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Kenneth Imasuagbon has called for the zoning of the governorship seat to the central zone of the state to ensure development, justice, equity and fairness.

Imasuagbon said the two other senatorial zones – the Edo South and Edo North, have all produced the governors of the state.

He noted that “zoning the office of the governor to Edo Central is the just and equitable thing to do to ensure justice.”

Speaking with THISDAY on the sidelines of the meeting of PDP stakeholders at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, Aziegbemi, said: “Over 90 per cent of the PDP members believe that it is equitable that the governorship candidate should come from the central senatorial zone.

“But we have not reached the decision where the governorship candidate should come from. But, as a state party chairman, it is the consensus that the delegates will decide who becomes the governorship candidate.

“The state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, said as much when he said that he will support whosoever the party supports. So, for me, let the delegates decide who will fly the flag of the PDP in the coming election,” Azigbeme stated. 

On his part, Imasuagbon has called on political parties to field candidates from Edo Central to ensure fairness, equity and justice, stressing that the zone has not produced the governor of the state since 1999 except during the truncated 18 months reign of Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor who was removed by a court. 

He said: “I hear people talking about Edo South having the capacity to win the election but I ask where is the place of fairness, equity and justice in our politics? Edo Central should be given the opportunity to rule the state this time.

“The narratives have changed and whoever wins must have done a lot of work during the campaigns. However, Edo Central should be given a chance in the state,” he said.

However, the state Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu also insisted that the Edo North senatorial district must produce the next governor of the state.

Shaibu spoke in Abuja after a meeting with the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Amb. Aliyu Iliya Damagum at the party’s national secretariat.

Shaibu told journalists that though he believes in the rotation of political offices in the state, equity, fairness and justice must be respected.

According to him, “It is true that Edo Central would have produced the governor of the state by 2024, and that Adams Oshiomhole had ruled the state for eight years. Also, the Edo State Central produced a governor in the person of Oserheimen Osunbor before he was removed by the tribunal. However the Edo North has not produced a candidate from the PDP.

 “The truth is that while the PDP has produced a governorship candidate from the Edo South as Lucky Igbinedion ruled the state for eight years as a candidate of the PDP. And Governor Godwin Obaseki is also from the south, but the Edo North senatorial zone as far as we are concerned in the PDP, has no governor candidate from our zone.

 “Adams Oshiomhole is from the APC and was first pronounced governor by the tribunal. We in the PDP want a candidate from the zone who has the capacity and competence. We don’t need an on-the-job training governor.”