BENIN CITY: The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State chapter, Barr. Anselm Ojezua yesterday in Benin City, Edo state said that as a party promoting change in all ramifications, it cannot afford to compromise due process.
He said the party was awaiting the National secretariat of the party to issue guidelines that would help it conduct a free, fair and credible primary election to produce a candidate that would succeed Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in November this year..
According to him, “This party professes change and it is change in all ramifications. I believe everybody now knows that change has taken a new turn in Nigeria. All those things that tend to pollute the political environment, we should avoid them by ensuring that due process is not compromised.”
Ojezua was speaking when General Charles Airhiavbere (Rtd), the frontline APC gubernatorial aspirant met the State executive officers of the party as part of further consultations on his desire to succeed Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
Ojezua said, “I believe it is after the National Working Committee fashion out the guidelines that we will be able to pick the party’s candidate of choice to take over from Comrade Governor Oshiomhole in November.”
General Airhiavbere had earlier presented a bowl of kola nuts to the party Executive with the State secretary, Chief Osaro praying in Edo language for God to grant the prayer request of the aspirant.
Thereafter Airhiavbere said he was in the state Secretariat of the party to present himself as a credible successor to the Comrade Governor whose track record of success in the last seven years is worthy of commendation.
He said Edo as a state should be happy that the state is an APC state since the government at the centre (Abuja) is also APC, adding that he believes “Governor Oshiomhole has done well by his score and erected a structure for the APC to continuously win elections in the state.
“And how do we do this in Edo state. The first thing is that Edo state is an APC government. That I was a PDP governorship candidate is part of history. I know this and I am familiar with the situation of Edo state, having taught at the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies,” he said
Airhiavbere added that, “I know the strengths and weaknesses of the state; the opportunities and challenges of Edo state and that is why, I give kudos to the Comrade Governor who has sufficiently piloted the affairs of the state to success.”
