Anxiety as APC prunes Edo governorship aspirants to 10…Agba, Ize-Iyamu, Afegbua, Ebea, Umakhihe, Okpebholo, four others scale first hurdle

● Party’s panel to recommend only six aspirants for primary election

There is palpable anxiety in the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Edo State as the Julius Ihonvbere-led panel set up by the party to screen and prune down the number of aspirants jostling for its ticket has scaled down the number to ten.

THE CONCLAVE reports that the ten aspirants are to be taken through another round of scrutiny to further bring down the number to six, taking into consideration the principles of equity and equality of zones.

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Each zone will be represented by two aspirants each.

There were feelers Thursdsy afternoon that of the ten aspirants who scaled the first hurdle, four were from Edo South while three aspirants were from Edo North and Edo Central Senatorial districts respectively.

The Ihonnvbere committee, as learnt, would reconvene tonight to consummate the process for onward transmission of list to the party leadership.

THE CONCLAVE reports that the idea to prune the number was mooted by the party leadership to achieve a small size of aspirants in the context of ease of managing the potential fallout from the primary election.

“It is much easier to negotiate with and manage a small number than a crowded field. There will be horsetrading, expectedly, and the party will do well to take a decision as to a process that will be acceptable to the aspirants and their numerous supporters.

“We want to be able to forge a united front going into the crucial governorship poll on September 21, this year. The APC must put forward our best candidate who is capacitated enough to trump the best of te PDP and the Labour Party,” an APC chieftain said.

Meanwhile, among the four shortlisted from Edo South by the committee were Dennis Idahosa, Lucky Imasuen, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and General Charles Airhiavbere.

The three recommended from Edo North were the immediate past minister of state for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade, Prince Kassim Afegbua and Dr Ernest Umakhihe, who recently retired as a permanent secretary in the Federal Civil Service.

From Edo Central, the three recommended were former Deputy Speaker of the State Hiysr of Assembly, Hon Festus Ebea, former APC state chairman, Dave Imuse, and Senator Monday Okpebholo.

THE CONCLAVE could not ascertain reasons former governor of the state, Senator Osehreinmen Osunbor was not on the list despite his immense qualifications.

Former Governor of Edo State and former Natiobal Chairman of the APC, Senator Adams Oshiomhole is expected to preside at tonight’s meeting where the final list of approved aspirants would be unveiled.

But a report by GWG said that there were moves, according to unnamed sources, to remove at least some of the aspirants “that may not be too pliable to the unofficial party leadership in the state.”

Read the report: “It was gathered that the committee is under pressure to drop General Airhiavbere and Pastor Ize-Iyamu in Edo South, and also drop Prince Afegbua in Edo North. The committee is also said to be under pressure to drop Ebea and present Senator Okpehelo and Imuse from Edo Central.

“The development is already causing apprehension within the party with insinuation that the adoption of Imuse and Okpebhelo would edge out the Old Agabzillo, the area of Esan land that is yet to produce the governor of the state.

“GWG.ng reports that Prof Ambrose Alli and Prof Osunbor the only two Esan sons to serve as governor from the state are from the Old Okpeho side of Esan Land.

“Meanwhile, the apparent move to edge out General Airhiavbere and Pastor Ize-Iyamu the only two Benin sons to have run impactful governorship campaigns in recent times and with strong name recognition is being received with shock in party circles.

“Airhiavbere, a former Army General, is believed not to be in the good books of a major party leader over their rivalry in the past while Pastor Ize-Iyamu who is believed to have strong connections around the state and with a capacity to win the election for the party, it is feared, may not be too loyal if he becomes governor.

“No reason was given for the decision to push out Prince Afegbua, a man who had in recent engagements in the public arena sometimes trudged independent pathways from the establishment as reflected in his resignation from the Oshiomhole government in its first term.

“Concerned stakeholders were fearful that the decision to target personalities could not just fuel tension in the Edo chapter of the APC but worsen the plight of the party and give room for the PDP or another party to forge ahead.”