A retired police commissioner and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Chief Osato Iredia, has said by his action, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) is setting the stage for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to produce Godwin Obaseki’s successor.
He alleged that the lawmaker, who served as governor of the state for eight years, is working behind the scene to make PDP favoured aspirant Asuen Ighodalo to win the governorship election in the September 2024.
He told newsmen in Abuja yesterday that there was a bond among Oshiomhole, Obaseki and Ighodalo to govern the state one after the other.
In a statement he issued after the press conference, which was released to LEADERSHIP, the APC leader in Oredo local government area, said he was not surprised about the development.
He said Oshiomhole was imposing an unpopular candidate in the person of Dennis Idahosa from Edo South, on the party at this time, when it was not justifiable.
He added that Oshiomhole’s idea was to present a weaker APC governorship candidate against PDP’s Asuen Ighodalo so that the later could win the election easily.
“If Governor Obaseki had not left the APC, Asuen who is the governorship aspirant of PDP would have been the candidate of APC. Remember how Obaseki left APC? He left with their Lagos friends to PDP.”
Iredia called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leadership of APC to disregard the Governor Hope Uzodinma result that declared Hon Idahosa as the governorship candidate of APC if the party was serious about winning the September election.
Iredia said, “Oshiomhole from Edo north, Obaseki from Edo South and Ighodalo from Edo Central want to complete the circle in 2024 as they planned it many years ago.
“The people of Edo State across the three senatorial districts are in consonance with zoning except for Oshiomhole who kept encouraging aspirants from across the state to join the race.”
“The only way the party can win the governorship election in September is to adhere to the APC primaries that produced Senator Monday Okpebholo from Edo Central,” he said.