The rumoured power tussle between the members and leaders of the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), loyal to Governor Godwin Obaseki, and the pressure group, the Legacy Coalition, led by the National Vice-Chairman, South-South, Chief Dan Orbih, for the soul of the party ahead of its governorship primary slated for April, came to the fore yesterday as the Coalition threw one of its members, Mr. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, into the ring for the governorship ticket.
By that act, Ogbeide-Ihama, the immediate past member of the House of Representatives for Oredo Federal Constituency, will be slogging it out with Mr Asue Ighodalo, whom many believed is the choice candidate of Gover Obaseki’s camp, an allegation Ighodalo has denied, on several occasions, insisting that he remained a neutral candidate and the stabilizing factor for Edo PDP.
Ogbeide-Ihama, who arrived the Benin Airport at about 12.45 pm on Monday, was received by a mammoth crowd of party members, who accompanied him on a street road show from the airport to the Bishop Kely Pastoral Centre, where the two-term House of Representatives member made an official declaration for the governorship seat.
The latest PDP governorship aspirant, who kept waving his Intention of Interest Form, met with Edo South Senatorial leaders of the party.
Prominent among the Legacy Coalition members present at the declaration were a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP, Mr. Charles Idahosa, senatorial leader of the party, Mr Idehen Ebomoyi, Deputy State Chairman of the party, Harrison Omagbon, State Woman Leader of the party, Mrs Tes Sorae, former Women Leader of the APC, Dr Esosa Amadasun, Mr. Marttins Osakue among others.
The elated Ogbeide-Ihama boasted that if the PDP made him its candidate, the September election would be walk over as he said he had been a member of the party since 1998.
“This is a formal notification and a passionate appeal to the leadership of the party to support me for my governorship ambition in the year 2024. There have been speculations and questions if Ogbeide-Ihama is interested in the governorship race or not. I want to formally notify you that I am contesting, and I need your support.
“Since 1998 till now that I have registered as a member of the party, I have remained in the party. I am a loyal member of my party. So, if we are to talk about loyalty, I am the person,” he claimed.
“If you talk about experience, I have the political and managerial experience to govern Edo. I have the managerial skills to manage humans and resources of Edo. I have the needed human relationships. I want to be governor of Edo and not a senatorial district. I am fully ready. All I need is your prayers. I will be governor of the whole Edo State and not a senatorial district.
“I want to bring development to Edo State. I want to empower our youths so they can stand on their own. I want to stop child mortality. There is no reason anyone above 70 years in Edo should lack healthcare. I want to give good free healthcare to our aged parents. Edo will be a state all of us would be proud of with Ogbeide-Ihama,” he assured.
Speaking shortly after the declaration, Idahosa said he supported Obaseki in 2020 and followed him to the PDP to get his second term with the coinage of the word torgba (it must complete), and “today, I have come before all of you to say osene (it is his time).”
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
