14th June, 2024
By Jethro Ibileke
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, John Mayaki, has described the party’s flag bearer in the 21 September governorship election in the State, Senator Monday Okpebholo as a “difficult-to-sell candidate”.
Mayaki who was head of the media team of the Tinubu/Shettima campaign organization in Edo, stated this on Friday while speaking at the 5th edition of the Mayaki’s Roundtable with Friends in the Media.
Speaking on the theme: “Party Supremacy, Competence, and the Future of Edo State”, Mayaki recalled that former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, took a decision to work against his party presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the last general election.
He added that what matters to him now is the development of Edo and not party supremacy.
According to him, “We all know that in party politics, the party is supreme, but what will your reaction be, if presented with a difficult-to-sell candidate for an election?
“As a committed progressive, how will you react when presented with a candidate who has no clear ideology or manifesto, who is likely to set the state back 20 years?
“Lets consider this classical case and a more recent one. The party is supreme but former Governor of Rivers State and now Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike took a decision to work against his party presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the last general election and was proudly appreciated by President Bola Tinubu who is the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“That simply tells you that even Mr. President who is a core party man appreciates people who went out of their way to support a better and credible candidate to emerge as president, irrespective of party affiliation.”
The former Tinubu/Shettima campaign spokesman in Edo opined that the candidate with the carriage, clout and charisma befitting of a Governor should be voted, irrespective of party affiliation.
He said: “For me therefore, I have made up my mind to commit myself to encouraging my numerous supporters across the state, especially in my local government area, ward, and unit, that they vote for the candidate who will best develop the state, regardless of political affiliation. I mean a man who has the carriage, clout and charisma befitting of a Governor.
“In this governorship election, it will not be about party. It will be about the man who will help us develop this state. That’s the man myself and my supporters will vote for.
“My party at the state level is currently factionalized and fragmented, but that’s not the issue for discussion today. What matters to me now is the development of Edo State and not party supremacy. Who will lead us to the promised land? Who has the capacity, competence, connections, experience, and sincerity to provide the leadership needed to tackle the enormous challenges in governance and take the state out of the woods?
“My candidate is the man we can all trust. The man who has networks and connections both home and abroad. The man with ‘moral’ or ethical reputation, not a novice to governance system. This man is not of the APC stock because irrespective of party supremacy, the future of Edo state is more supreme in my heart. My first commitment is to the state while the party is secondary.”
He, therefore called on Edo people “to embrace the candidate who has demonstrated competence and the ability to govern the state, regardless of party affiliation, in the upcoming September 21st governorship election in Edo State.”