…Ordia, Onobun declare support as Ikimi-led Committee adjourns screening
The race to Osadebay Avenue is entering an advanced gear as all the political parties participating in the election billed for September 2024 are expected to hold their primaries in February to elect the candidates who will fly their flags in the election in line with the time-table and schedule of activities earlier released by the country’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
For the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the governing party in the state, it is looking like the primary election is going to be a smooth, rancour-free process as more aspirants from Edo Central Senatorial Zone are dropping their aspirations in support of Dr. Asue Ighodalo, a former Chairman of Sterling Bank Plc and co-founder of the law firm of Banwo & Ighodalo.
The attention on Edo Central stems from the decision of the party to zone the governorship seat to the area in the interest of equity and fairness.
On Saturday, a leading governorship aspirant in the PDP and the House of Representatives member representing Esan West, Esan Central and Igueben Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Rt. Hon. Marcus Onobun, informed the High Chief Tom Ikimi-led Edo Central PDP Special Committee that he was withdrawing from the race in order to support Ighodalo.
Onobun’s message was conveyed in a letter read by High Chief Ikimi during a meeting of the PDP Special Committee assigned with the task of screening the party’s governorship aspirants from the Senatorial zone.
The screening scheduled for Saturday was, however, postponed to Wednesday, 10 January 2024.
Aspirants present during the meeting held at Ikimi’s residence at Igueben included Barr. Anselm Ojiezua, Senator Clifford Ordia, Hon. John Yakubu, Amb. Martins Uhomoibhi, and Barr Asue Ighodalo.
In the letter he personally signed and addressed to the committee, Onobun, who was unable to attend the screening as a result of the funeral ceremony of his grandfather, Pa Iregbeyen Onobun, said his decision to step down and collapse his structure for Dr. Ighodalo followed due consultation and was in the spirit of sportsmanship and respect for leaders of Esan land.
“I have done consultation across the state, and in the spirit of sportsmanship and respect for our leaders, I wish to suspend my aspiration for Edo Governorship 2024 and support my brother, Barr. Asue Ighodalo,” Onobun said.
“It is my desire to see an Esan man become Edo Governor in 2024. And I pledge my commitment to take a front seat in this struggle. God bless my leader and the Edo Central Special Committee,” he said.
A press release issued by Amb. Tony Okonigene, Publicity Secretary of the committee, said Senator Ordia also announced to the committee that he had decided to queue behind Ighodalo’s aspiration, saying that in the overall interest of the party, personal sacrifices must be made.
Onobun and Ordia’s withdrawal from the race brings to four the number of aspirants from Edo Central who have stepped down and thrown the weight of their support behind Ighodalo. Two other aspirants in the PDP, Friday Itulah and Hon. Kenneth Ahbulimen, had earlier last week also withdrawn from the race and declared support for Ighodalo, citing patriotism and the interest of Esan and Edo people for their decisions.
On his part, Barr. Anselm Ojiezua said he was still consulting and was waiting for the outcome of the decision of the committee.
Another aspirant, Hon. John Yakubu, told the Committee that he needed time to consult before communicating his decision within 24 hours, saying, however, that he would submit himself to the conclusion of the Committee.
Amb. Martins Uhomoibhi also prayed for more time to consult before making his position known, expressing confidence in the Committee to make the right decision.
Similarly, Ighodalo thanked the Committee for the personal sacrifices being put in and pledged his continuous alignment with the Committee.
One of the aspirants, Hon. Felix Akhabue, aka Joefel, was absent and did not send any form of communication to the Committee.
After a brief meeting, the committee adjourned the screening of aspirants to Wednesday to give time for some aspirants to consult further.
