By Nelson Utip
A group of Political stalwarts from Edo State All Progressives Congress APC has declared the purported report of the Professor Julius Ihonvbere-led Screening/Pruning Committee that has excluded Edo North Senatorial zone from the race for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket of the state as unacceptable retrogressive, undemocratic and against the non-zoning formula of the party.
The group with membership from the three senatorial districts of the state observed this in a statement jointly signed by Dr. Osemwegie Irobun and Isigo Eromosele, its Coordinator and Secretary, respectively.
“The so-called list of four aspirants with only Edo South and Edo Central zones with their two aspirants apiece in it, if it is the product of the Committee, trumps equity and vitiates the basis of equality of zones in the quest to seamlessly aid the guber nomination process of the party,” the group said.
The group also pointed out that the clandestinely released unofficial list in circulation in the social media was adversely affecting the party.
“As the rumour around the unofficial list in the social media report on the said exclusion of the two officially screened aspirants from the Northern district was circulated, a series of rebuttals had come from one of the two aspirants, APC stakeholders, political observers and members of the public, who regarded it as fake, tendentious, divisive and intended to throw the Edo APC into confusion,” the group added.
They regretted that it was certain that some stakeholders in the party were taking the peace in the party for granted and want a repetition of the 2020 scenario where the party lost the gubernatorial election.
“With the official declaration that two aspirants of the district were already cleared to vie in the party primary election, preparatory to the general election, the outcome was largely considered to be fair featuring two aspirants each per the three senatorial zones.” It added. The aggrieved group said that APC leaders and members from Edo North were surprised by the unofficial list excluding the zone from the race and demanded to know the reason for the exclusion.
According to the group, while the news of the false disqualification was being treated with incredulity, it was annoying and condemnable that it was discussed on a television network programme which seem to give credibility to the unofficial disqualification of Edo North zone from a process that was declared open for all zones.
The group observed that this hatchet job by mischief makers would adversely affect the fortunes of the party in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
“For the sanctification of democratic norms and the firm positioning of the APC National Working Committee and its state’s chapter, would it not amount to double standards for an entire North senatorial district, which gave APC the mandatory presidential winning, and the highest votes in the 2020 guber poll to be excluded from an important governorship election, where its two aspirants are the most qualified?”, they asked.
“Now that the two aspirants and the district are being frustrated from the race, what happens to the APC’s standing principle that it is a free contest for all the aspirants and that zoning of the governorship slot, along senatorial districts be jettisoned when Edo North district, which is the stronghold of the APC and its most qualified aspirants are kicked out from the contest?”, the group further queried.
“It calls on all APC faithful, defenders of democracy and good governance to take the false disqualification for what it is: fake. Let us remain calm and optimistic that the APC, being a progressive party of disciplined leaders and members, would review its “decision” and not progress in error by finding amicable ways out of the logjam being orchestrated by a few desperate and undemocratic party men, who are being driven by selfish and pecuniary interests.”The group declared.
