Crusaderhotnews
*By Temidayo Akinsuyi*
LAGOS – Poll conducted in Edo State last week has given Governor Godwin Obaseki, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), an edge in the September 19 governorship election in Edo State.
Daily Independent gathered that the poll was sponsored by members of the Edo Peoples Movement (EPM), a group in the All Progressives Congress (APC) loyal to Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, former national chairman of the party and bankrolled by a prominent businessman in the state.
The survey shows Obaseki defeating Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the APC governorship candidate, in the three senatorial districts in the state.
In Edo South, Obaseki won 74 percent of the votes to Ize- Iyamu’s 23%. In Edo Central, Obaseki got 85 percent and Ize-Iyamu managed to garner a paltry 13% votes. Edo North was a close race with Obaseki receiving 52 percent to 45 percent for Ize-Iyamu.
Speaking on the poll, Chief Festus Asiriuwa, a chieftain of the PDP, said the poll has confirmed their position that Edo people will reject APC at the poll.
“APC in Edo State has realised that they cannot win the election. They carried out an opinion poll and survey sponsored by one of the bigwigs in Edo State who is leading the fight against Obaseki. The survey showed that in all the three senatorial districts in Edo State, Governor Obaseki will win in a landslide.
“The survey shows that the closest they can come close to the governor is in Edo North where they will have 45 percent and Obaseki, 55 percent. That of the Central and South shows that the governor will beat them in a landslide.
“There were substantial sympathy votes for Obaseki arising from perceived injustice done to him by the APC through baseless disqualification for refusal to loot the treasury. There were also protest votes against the APC for alleged interference with the process by external powerful godfather.
“So, their plan now is to do a massive campaign and find ways to rig the election in Edo State. They want to compromise the security forces and INEC. They are also planning to bring in thugs from neighbouring states.
“A second and final poll will be conducted in August but no substantial deviation from the above scenario is envisaged because of the factors of trust, integrity, 2024 zoning and economic development which impacted negatively on the APC candidate”.
The PDP chieftain also described as fake news the report that Governor Obaseki paid heavily to secure the party’s ticket for the governorship election.
He said those behind the false report are loyalists of Oshiomhole, who are jittery since Obaseki’s movement to PDP.
Describing Obaseki’s movement to PDP as a perfect marriage, he said the PDP which has been looking for a strong candidate to fly its flag in the election capitalised on the unjust disqualification of the governor and quickly did all it can to facilitate his movement.
“It is a perfect marriage. The PDP was looking for a candidate that could give a victorious boost to their campaign for the governorship election. At the same time, Governor Obaseki was being pushed out of the APC by the former chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, and a few other elements in the party.
“So, it was like a perfect marriage and there was no such thing as breaking the bank to secure the PDP ticket as erroneously claimed. Of course, there is no primary in a political party that does not cost money but there was no handing out of money to any aspirant or individuals in the party to grant the governor access to the PDP or secure its ticket.
“All the powerbrokers in the PDP, from the national to the local government (area) level were all clamouring on the Edo State chapter of the party to seize the golden opportunity of Obaseki’s rejection by the APC conclude his movement to the PDP because they saw it as an opportunity not just to win the state into its fold but also to sustain the state as PDP state going forward and also to make the entire South-South a 100 percent PDP state”.
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