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Plans by the embattled National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to get the aspirants for the party’s ticket in the Edo State gubernatorial poll slated for later this year, to agree on Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, as the party’s consensus candidate has hit a brick-wall.
The move is yet another manifestation of the former Edo governor’s highhanded leadership style, which had overtime pitched him against prominent members of the APC across Nigeria. It is also a major crux of the running battle between the national chairman and the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.
It is also a show of flagrant disregard for the bottom-to-up approach of party politics being canvassed by President Muhammadu Buhari, with Comrade Oshiomhole calling the shots at every point of the way without regard to the wishes of the people or party members.
It was gathered that Comrade Oshiomhole met with the aspirants, all prominent members of the Edo Peoples Movement, including former Deputy Governor of the state, Dr. Pius Odubu; former gubernatorial candidate, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere; former Minister for Works, Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi, among others, to make the demand but he was rebuffed.
The aspirants, it was learnt, wondered why they would be asked to adopt someone who had been in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) all through the years they had fought to groom the APC.
One of them, who is said to command modest following in Oredo Local Government Area (LGA), was overheard saying that he had shouldered immense responsibilities on behalf of the National Chairman and it was only fair if he got the ticket of the party for the polls.
Expressing his disappointment over the agenda of the meeting, he said, “I am at a loss at this latest move. This is the height of ingratitude. Comrade is being unreasonable, I must say. The talk of a consensus from this end at this time, is, at best, nonsensical.”
It was also learnt that the likely financier for any candidate Comrade Oshiomhole is rooting for, is billionaire businessman, Captain Hosa Okunbor. However, Okunbor has reportedly said that he would only be willing to stake funds on Ize-Iyamu, which further divided the meeting.
The impasse has set the camp of the aspirants in disarray as a number of them are confused as to what would be their next move, in the face of a betray of trust and loyalty.
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