Edo 2024: Igbonedion, Others Defect To APC
By Simeon OSAJIE
Daughter of a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Chief Sir Dr. Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Omosede Igbinedion and her supporters joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) few hours after her resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
The former member of the Federal House of Representatives, was received at the Edo South senatorial district flag-off of the APC governorship campaign for the September 21 gubernatorial polls by political leaders of the party who berated the almost eight years administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
At the rally, the APC flagbearer, Senator Monday Okpebholo unveiled a five point manifesto which he said were security, infrastructural development, education, agriculture and water provision.
The rally held at the Ekhenwuan Campus of the University of Benin attracted leaders of the party from the 77 wards that make up the Edo South Senatorial district.
Speaking at the rally, former governorship candidate of the party, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu said the rally signified the end of the PDP in the State while a former members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP who recently returned to the APC, Mr. Charles Idahosa urged the people of Edo Central to organise a debate for Okpebholo and his PDP counterpart, Asue Ighodalo in their homeland to speak to their people and see who would falter.
Idahosa apologized to the people for leading Obaseki from the APC to the PDP, adding “I was the face of Obaseki to the PDP, it was a mistake.”
Receiving Omosede Igbinedion who was accompanied by two of her brothers, Mike and Fred Igbinedion, the Acting State Chairman of the APC, Emperor Jarrett Tenebe said, “The train to Osadebey Avenues is taking off and it will stop in Edo Central, Edo North and come back to Edo South, so the people should enter the train now before it gets to Osadebey Avenue.”
Speaking, Omosede Igbinedion said she left the PDP because the APC had supported her vision for Ovia people.
“There was Esan Agenda and I also have the Ovia agenda, the APC has fulfilled the Ovia Agenda because we have never produced a deputy governor and the APC has picked our own Hon. Dennis Idahosa as the party’s deputy governorship candidate”, she declared.
The former governor of the state and now Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, noted that Igbinedion’s coming to the APC was an asset and urged the people to vote out PDP and its candidate who he accused of presenting fake credentials of what he is not.
“They claim to be technocrats and in this era of seeking knowledge, they destroyed a library and replaced it with shoprite. I can assure you that our candidate will turn it back to a digital library. They destroyed a hospital and are building a museum for them to re-loot returned artefacts which belonged to the palace. Out candidate will partner the palace to build the Benin Royal Museum for the kingdom. He will rebuild the Benin Water Storm project and desilt the city to check flooding”, said Oshiomhole.
The court reinstated deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, called on the people not to be scared of the PDP and its candidate and urged them to join him so that they can jointly defeat the PDP while the deputy governorship candidate of the APC, Dennis Idahosa said the contest was between the youth and old men.
A former Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, and Commissioner for Information and Orientation under Obaseki, Paul Ohonbamu said, “Election has come and the die is cast, adding that the battle line is drawn between one man’s ambition and the survival of the state.
“For every bad, there is worse, Obaseki is bad, Ighodalo is worse. Obaseki is planning a bazaar with items”, he said.
The leader of the APC in Edo South, and former deputy governor of the state, Dr. Pius Odubu in his remarks said the best time to save the state was now.
