Edo Central APC braces up for guber primary poll, prune aspirants to three

All Progressives Congress, APC, in Edo Central has a significant step towards presenting a common front for the forthcoming primary poll to elect the party’s standard bearer for the September 21, 2024 governorship election.

The Zonal chapter on Sunday pruned down the number of aspirants from the zone jostling for the party ticket to three.

The three, in order of preference, are a former Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Festus Ebea, Senator representing the zone, Monday Okpbeholo aka Akpakomiza and the party’s incumbent State Chairman, Col David Imuse [retd].

Curiously, the names of a former governor, Prof Oserhiemen Osubor, and other seeming gladiators were screened out.

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THE CONCLAVE reports that the resokution does not have a force of law as it is only advisory. It will require the leadership of the APC on the central zone to persuade aspirants to bury their ambitions.

As learnt, the APC in the state has decided to throw the race for the party guber ticket open to the three senatorial zones.

This, a top official of the party in the central zone, said was responsible for the plan by the Central to prune with a view to coming out with its best.

The three selected aspirants , as learnt, will further be pruned to arrive at a possible consensus Zonal aspirant who will slug it out with those from the South and the North.

Meanwhile, reproduced hereunder in extenso is the communique of the meeting.

● Communique of the Meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo Central Senatorial Leaders Caucus, Held In Benin City, Edo State, On The 26th of November 2023.

The Edo Central Senatorial Leaders Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC), under the leadership of Major General Cecil Esekhaigbe Retd, Ph.D, convened a meeting in Benin City, Edo State, on the 26th of November, 2023.

The agenda of the meeting was to prune down the shortlisted list of six (6) prospective governorship aspirants submitted to the Edo Central APC senatorial leadership by the Adhoc Screening Committee setup by the senatorial leadership with a view to reducing the long list of prospective aspirants from the zone ahead the off-circle governorship election in Edo State in 2024.

The meeting was well attended by notable leaders of the APC in Edo Central Senatorial District, including

Major General Cecil Esekhaigbe Rtd, Ph.D, Chief (Dr) Francis Inegbeniki, Hon. Sam Abhulimen Oboh, Rt. Hon Thomas Okosun, Hon. Chris Ebare, Hon. Isimeme Iriogbe, Elder Sam Eboigbe, Hon. Barr. Ken Ihensekhien, Hon. Fidelis Ogbejele, Hon. Larry Aghedo, Prince William Shaka-Momodu, Engr. Gideon Ikhine, Pastor (Mrs) Ibhaquezegele, Hon. Joe Ikpea, Comrade Amos Cole Amahdin, amongst other leaders.

At the end of productive deliberations held in an atmosphere devoid of rancour, the leaders resolved as follows;

● RESOLUTIONS:

A. That, the shortlisted list of six (6) prospective governorship aspirants submitted to the senatorial leaders caucus by the screening committee was prune down to three (3).

B. That, on the basis of the first three, the shortlisted first three names in the list submitted by the screening committee were taken.

C. That, for the purpose of clarity, the following prospective governorship aspirants from APC in Edo Central Senatorial District made the first three thresholds taken from the shortlisted six names by the screening committee They are

1. Rt. Hon. Festus Ebea.

2. Senator Monday Okpebholo (aka) Akpakomiza.

3. Col. (Dr) David Imuse Retd.

Finally, the Edo Central senatorial leader of APC, Gen Cecil Esekhaigbe Rtd, Ph.D, profusely thanked the leaders and members of the party for their cooperation and commitment towards building a strong and formidable party in Edo Central Senatorial District.

In the same vein, the senatorial leader commended other prospective aspirants who didn’t make the list for their patriotism. He therefore appeal to them to take the decision of the party in good faith, adding that, at the end of the electoral process it’s only one person that will certainly emerge as the candidate of the party.

The leader further made a general appeal to all Esan sons and daughters both home and abroad and across various political divides to join hands together to build a stronger and greater Esan nation.