Edo APC Guber Primaries: President, Vice President, Others Get Kudos Over Crisis Mgt
By Francis Onoiribholo Bureau Chief Benin
A chieftain of the All by Congress (APC) in Edo Central senatorial district, Chief Francis Inegbeneki, has given kudos to the leadership of the party for displaying leadership quality in resolving amicably all issues that were thrown up by the governorship primaries which were capable of tearing the party apart.
He said his appreciation goes to Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and a host of others who see the APC victory at the September, 21 Edo governorship election as most paramount than any bickering that would not have done anybody any good and at the end of the day making everybody looser.
Chief Inegbeneki who made the commendation while speaking with journalists in Benin said that now that APC is going into the September 21 governorship election as a united body, nothing will stop the party from coming out victorious, even with a landslide.
He called on the leaders and supporters of the party in Edo state not to relax in their campaigns and mass mobilisation for the victory of Sen. Monday Okpebholo and Hon. Dennis Idahosa’s candidature, adding that the match is not over until the last whistle.
Commenting on the two major political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) choking their governorship candidates from the Edo Central Senatorial District, Inegbeneki said the development is a good omen and good thing that has ever happened in the history of political evolution of Edo State.
According to him, for the two major political parties to pick their candidates from one Senatorial District shows that Edo state is a role model that needs to be emulated politically by other states in the country because it shows political maturity and stability that would in the long run promote rapid development of the state.
Inegbeneki also said that the development is going to compel the Edo Central Senatorial District to put their wealth of experience in politics into play in the forthcoming governorship election having known that the two contestants are from their zone.
“I will not say it is going to place the Esan people in a tight corner rather it is going to be the best thing that has ever happened to the Esan people.
“In the past, we have had national chairmen from very strong political parties who were from Esan. At a time we had from the National Republican Convention (NRC) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) both from Esan land.
“I must tell you that Esan people are very pragmatic politicians. If you check from the history of democracy, in Nigeria, you will see that Esan people have always played a significant role in any of the democracy so far.
“So, this time around, rather than envisaging crisis, we are going to demonstrate to Nigerians and the entire world that there is no reason for bitterness in politics and other people will learn that from this election.
And again, despite the fact that both leading parties have their candidates from Esan land, it is going to be a blessing to Esan and the state and not a curse.
“There will not be any problem like I said earlier, the people will decide and there will be no bad blood because politics is not war.
“Those who want to vote for APC, will vote for APC and those who want to vote for PDP in Esan land, will vote for PDP in Esan land but at the end of the day, the people will decide”, Inegbeneki said.
While also commending Senator Monday Okpebholo, he said that he has been able to learn the art of winning election from the late Chief Tony Anenih and he is going to do it again, come September 21.
“Senator Okpebholo graduated from the college of Late Chief Tony Anenih. He learnt very well. As you can see, 2023, during the senatorial election, you saw that Okpebholo changed the political narrative in Edo Central politics.
“For the first time since 1999, APC has never won Edo Central in the area of senate. It has been PDP all the way but when Okpebholo came out because he was well tutored, only one shot, he got the senatorial ticket and today, he is a senator and the first APC candidate to win that seat.
“So, what we are seeing now, is what he has learned from late Tony Anenih and come September, he is going to use that again”, Inegbeneki added.
On the home boy phenomenon,
Inegbeneki maintained that he is not being disturbed about the issue of who is a homeboy rather, the electorate will decide who the homeboy is.
“The people will decide who will be their next governor and not issues of homeboy because the people will read between the lines and make up their minds as to whether to vote for somebody in the diaspora or a homeboy.
“So, we will now actually know who is the homeboy or a diaspora boy”, Inegbeneki further declared.
