Edo Guber: APC Gov’Ship Candidate, Okpebholo Not Competent – Party Chieftain

BY Simeon OSAJIE

Former Executive Director, Media to Edo State Governor, Senator Adams Aliu, Mr. John Mayaki said he will not support the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC) for the September 21, 2024 gubernatorial election, Senator Monday Okpebholo because he (Monday) lacks the capacity to govern the State.

Speaking at the 5th edition of the ‘Mayaki’s Roundtable with Friends in the Media,’ held at the State Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ), Benin City, Mayaki said that, irrespective of party supremacy, the future of Edo State is more important to him.

He said he will defy party supremacy to commit himself to encourage his numerous supporters to vote for the candidate who will best develop the state, regardless of political affiliation.

Mayaki said he turned down the offer of Director-General, New Media of the APC Campaign Organisation for the Edo Governorship election because the party’s candidate is a difficult-to-sell candidate for the election.

“We all know that in party politics, the party is supreme, but what will your reaction be if presented with a difficult-to-sell
candidate for an election?

“As a committed progressive, how will you react when you are presented with a candidate who has no clear ideology or manifesto, who is likely to set the state back 20 years?

“What matters to me now is the development of Edo State and not party supremacy; who will lead us to the promised land; who has the capacity, competence, connections, experience and sincerity to provide the leadership needed to tackle the enormous challenges in governance and take the state out of the woods?

“I mean, a man who has the carriage, clout and charisma befitting of a governor.

“This man is not of the APC stock because, irrespective of party supremacy, the future of Edo State is more supreme in my heart; my first commitment is to the state, while the party is secondary.”

According to Mayaki, “My candidate is the man we can trust. The man who has the network and connections, both home and abroad. The man with moral or ethical reputation, not a novice to governance system.”

He said that of the three major political parties, the odds did not favour the Labour Party candidate, Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata, because he is from Edo South Senatorial district.

“I have accessed all the candidates and come to the conclusion that the candidate I will campaign for has all these qualities in abundance,” he said

Mayaki therefore called on all Edo people to embrace the candidate who has demonstrated competence and ability to govern the state, regardless of party affiliation in the Edo governorship election.