We Expect Credible, Free, Fair Governorship Primaries, Says Edo PDP Legacy Group

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-city

The Legacy Coalition of Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it is expecting the national leadership of the party to conduct a credible, free and fair governorship primary election for the 2024 governorship election.

The group also pointed out that with such environment, it believes that its preferred aspirant would emerge as the candidate of the party for the September 21 governorship election.

The Legacy Coalition consists of members of the party who are loyal to the National Vice Chairman of the party, South-south, Chief Dan Orbih, and those that defected with Governor Godwin Obaseki from the All Progressives Congress (APC) ‘but are no longer with him’.

A leader of the group, Martins Osakue, in a chat with journalists yesterday also faulted the leader of the party in Edo Central, Archbishop Anthony Okosun, for supporting and attempting to present an aspirant, Asue Ighodalo, as the consensus aspirant from the Edo Central, saying as a leader, he ought to play a neutral role rather than taking sides.

Osakue said: “We expect a free and fair election from the national body of our party, and 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 leadership to learn from the mismanagement of the last presidential primary election process where zoning became the catalyst behind the monumental loss the party suffered.

“For Edo, we think that the 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 Edo 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. In other words, a typical Benin person considers every other person except himself, they are most liberal. Obaseki is next to General Ogbemudia in that.”

Osakue further said: “That is why I think he shouldn’t 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, a globally recognised administrator, is saying he is an aspirant, he has not withdrawn from the race, you have Anselm Ojezua and others, then you go on to make such announcement?”