12th January, 2016
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
A pressure group, Edo Accord Initiative, has thrown its weight behind the state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, over his alleged decision to present a candidate to run for this year’s governorship election in the state on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This resolve comes in the wake of a warning by Benin Leaders of Thought last week that Governor Oshiomhole should not impose any candidate on the state, adding that the era of godfatherism and imposition was over.
National Chairman of Edo Accord, Mr. Denis Idahosa, made this prouncement last weekend at a meeting with coordinators of the group from across the 18 local government areas of the state.
Idahosa who made clarification that Oshiomhole’s support for an aspirant “does not in any way amount to imposition,” expressed the readiness of the group to support any of Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s preferred candidate for the APC.
He, however, hinged their support on the credibility of whoever the governor is presenting as his successor.
“As a pressure group and a bridge between government and the people, our mission statement is to ensure continuity and
sustainability of the governor’s developmental stride.
“EAI has not adopted any candidate, but we are working with Governor Oshiomhole because he has surpassed his predecessors’ achievement.
“As a leader of the party, the governor can advise on who will best serve the interest of the state. It’s now left for us to do an assessment to see if the person is credible.
“If that is done, then we will support. But if we discovered that the person is not credible, we will advise the governor,” he stated.
P.M. NEWS reports that some aspirants in the governorship election had expressed displeasure over rumours that Governor Oshiomhole had ordered his aides to ‘go and market’ the Chairman of the State Economic Team, Dr. Godwin Obaseki, popularly referred to as Dangote’s man, to the people of the state.