President Bola Tinubu on Friday received the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the upcoming September Edo State governorship election, Monday Okpebholo, and his running mate, Dennis Idahosa, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. This visit comes amid rising confidence within the Edo State APC Chapter about its chances of securing the governorship seat.
According to a report by The Punch, the APC's optimism is bolstered by the apparent disarray within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State. The party contends that the internal crisis plaguing the PDP, along with its candidate Dr. Asue Ighodalo's perceived disconnect from the state's populace, provides a notable advantage to their candidate, Okpebholo, whom they describe as a grassroots politician.
The delegation to the Villa was led by a former governor of the state, Adams Oshiomhole, and the Minister of Niger Delta Development, Abubakar Momoh. The meeting took place less than 24 hours after a Federal High Court in Abuja questioned the validity of the PDP primary election that resulted in Ighodalo's candidacy.
Okpebholo declined to comment, describing the discussions as private. However, Adams Oshiomhole expressed strong confidence that the APC would emerge victorious by leveraging the ongoing turmoil within the PDP.
Reacting to allegations that the PDP primary election crisis was orchestrated by the APC, Oshiomhole stated, “I think you should dismiss that because this is PDP versus PDP and you know that by the law, another party cannot go into intra-party conflicts in court. The fact that there had been division in Edo before their primaries and after their primaries is an open secret, and the issues in dispute are also very open. The PDP legacy group complained that the man they gave their master bedroom has completely chased them out of the building and now they’re under the rain and as we speak they are still trying to settle.”
Oshiomhole emphasized the importance of parties adhering to the regulations governing primary elections, saying, “I think the lesson is that parties must be encouraged to obey the laws that regulate the conduct of primaries, and that rules are meant to be obeyed if you formulate your constitution.”
The former governor said, “We went with the candidate and the running mate to give the president an update. He is the leader of the party. We gave him an update on the campaigns going on, what we are doing and the fact that we are harvesting more and more people every day.”
The Minister of Niger Delta Development, Abubakar Momoh, also voiced confidence in the APC's prospects in the forthcoming election. He highlighted the party's stronghold in Edo North, stating, “Edo North is a no-go area because my leader, myself and a host of others including Dan Orbih today who’s coming from the legacy group, we are from Edo North. We can deliver Edo North maximally any day. Edo Central, there is no doubt that our candidate Senator Monday Okpebholo, will sweep Edo Central because he’s a homeboy.”
Momoh dismissed doubts about the APC's ability to win, asserting, “Don’t make the mistake that we are not going to win. So as far as we are concerned, whether court judgment or no court judgment, we are very hopeful and optimistic that on 21st September this year, Obaseki will be preparing to leave the Government House.”