By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin
All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirants in Edo State Thursday backed Senator Ahmed Lawan’s reconciliation Committee to mediate over the crisis rocking the State Chapter of the party.
The APC Governorship aspirants include Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, ex-deputy governor, Lucky Imasuen, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (Rtd) and former minister of works, Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi.
A former deputy governor of the State, Pius Odubu who spoke on behalf of other aspirants, stated this while addressing journalists on Thursday in Benin City.
He decried “governor Obaseki attempt to close the political space and shut the doors against potential contestants for the office of the governor of Edo State”.
Recall that the APC National Working Committee (NWC) had inaugurated the Committee to resolve the lingering crisis in Edo State, arising from the feud between the State governor, Godwin Obaseki and the National chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
But, Governor Obaseki rejected the senate President’s committee because according to him, “he is an interested party” to the crisis.
According to Odubu, such move was antithetical to the established norms of democracy and advocated that “we must all be allowed to subject ourselves to the democratic process without let or hindrance”.
“We collectively desire a party that is stable, virile and viable for us to realized our individual and collective aspirations so as to provide effective and productive leadership for our dear State”.
The aspirants pledged their “unalloyed support and confidence in the leadership of our party in Edo State headed by Col. Dr. David Imuse (Rtd) and NWC under Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
He also lauded President Muhammadu Buhari and other national leaders of the party for their insistence on party supremacy.
He stressed further that their resolve was in consultation with other critical stakeholders of the party and pledged to collectively cooperate with the Committee.
But in a swift reaction, the factional State Chairman of APC, Mr Aselm Ojezua, said the agitations of the aspirants were fueled by greed and avarice.
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