Rumble in Edo APC over Choice of Consensus Guber Candidate

Move by some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State to have a consensus candidate to face the incumbent state Governor, Godwin Obaseki, in the party primary election ended in a deadlock on Thursday as the meeting was postponed.

However, it was gathered that consultation is still ongoing, and a fresh meeting rescheduled without any date given.

The meeting, which held at the residence of a former Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Lucky Imasuen, was disrupted during the process of trying to agree on modalities to be used for the shadow election.

Problem, was learnt, began when some persons queried  the rationale behind the inclusion of the 14 members-elect of Edo State House of Assembly who are yet to resume sitting to vote in the meeting.

 

Eventually, when they were allowed to vote, another controversy erupted as most of them were said to be supporting the aspiration of one of the aspirants, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

   

It was gathered that the contest was fierce among the trio of Ize-Iyamu, former state Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu, and former Minister of State for Works, Chris Ogiemwonyi.

It was also gathered that Ogiemwonyi left the meeting shortly after the meeting was disrupted.

    

A source close to the meeting told journalists that the “the consensus arrangement was presided over by Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, a member representing Owan federal constituency in the House of Representatives.

Another concern raised at the meeting was the number of delegates from Edo Central and Edo North, as some of them were said to have stepped down for Ize-Iyamu which boosted his chances while others raised issue of sponsorship of delegates to the meeting that eventually led to its postponement.