Two-term Edo State Governor and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, stormed the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress on Thursday.
The party’s National Working Committee inaugurated a seven-man Committee led by Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, to conduct the primary on Saturday.
The APC governorship candidate is expected to emerge ahead of the September date for the Edo State Governorship election.
Twelve aspirants are seeking the party ticket. It could not be confirmed if the Abdullahi Umar Ganduje-led NWC invited Senator Oshiomhole to the event.
Party sources, however, revealed a frosty relationship between the former national Chairman of the party, Senator Oshiomhole, and the incumbent, Ganduje, as the latter rebuffed the former Edo state governor’s move to prune the list of aspirants and present his anointed choice, Dennis Idahosa, through a screening panel.
The APC NWC, in a statement issued last month, voided the screening of aspirants and directed all aspirants to pick Nomination Forms. A panel led by Professor Taoheed Adedoja later screened and cleared all twelve aspirants. Speaking on Thursday, the National Organising Secretary of the Party, Sulaiman Argungu, insisted that the twelve aspirants already screened and cleared must be allowed to participate in Saturday’s primary. He maintained that the ruling party will continue to crave equity and inclusiveness in its selection process for elective offices.
In his acceptance speech, Imo State Governor, Senator Uzodinma, who is the Chairman of the Primary Committee, thanked the party leadership for the confidence reposed in his team. He assured the APC NWC that the process would be fair to all aspirants and ultimately deliver a candidate that would be marketable to the party faithful.
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He said: “Your Excellency, Mr. Chairman, it is indeed an honor to call on all of us as members of these two important committees to go to Edo State to midwife the process of selecting a gubernatorial candidate for the forthcoming election. It is a thing of big trust, and we feel humbled. On behalf of myself and members of these committees, we want to thank you and the National Working Committee for this show of confidence, and our prayers are that we work hard to justify this confidence reposed on us.
Our party is a fantastic brand, very popular, and a good product. It behooves members of our committee to work in harmony with the local leadership of the party in Edo State to bring up a product that will look like our party and is easily marketable in Edo State.
To the glory of God, we will do our best. We want to thank you and members of our party and urge you to also pray for us to God Almighty to give us the wherewithal to carry out this assignment.”
Ganduje inaugurated both the Primary and Appeal Primary Committees.
