Benin City — Backs Ighodalo as preferred aspirant
Ahead of the September governorship election in Edo state, former Chief Whip of the Senate, Sir Roland Owie has said indiscipline and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) looking for appointment in an All Progressives Congress (APC) federal government have been responsible for the crisis in the party in the state.
In a chat with Vanguard in Benin City following the controversies that is trailing the recent ward delegates congress, Owie said the exercise was peaceful adding that "if the party had died as they wanted in the last election, will there be PDP for them to stay"?
According to Owie, "The problem we have in our part is indiscipline. In the days of Action Group, SL Akintola, the Deputy Premier was suspended from the party for anti-party activities. The party did not tolerate irresponsibility.
"Since 1999 PDP has never won less than two Senatorial seats and four house of representatives seat but in the last election, we did not win a single senate seat and we won one House of Representatives, internal sabotage led to that, it was that internal sabotage that led to some APC members boasting that after the house of assembly election, Obaseki will be impeached and it is that language that gingered up well meaning edolites who were not even politicians to rise up against that for the PDP to have majority in the house. Now how will people who genuinely destroy their home and want to come back to that same house.
"During the Benin empire when it was conquering the whole of West Africa, when a Benin soldier defects, after the war, he is demoted and returned to the army but those who stayed in the army and betrayed it, at the end of the war, they have two options, either to commit suicide or they are executed. Betrayals don't stay alive. The old PDP that gave Obaseki the platform to run became two, there were those who believed that when you are in a battle whatever side of the divide wins, your party remains and there was the other side who believed that the party should be destroyed and then rebuilt. Do they know what it takes to rebuild, as we are talking now, we are aware of names of PDP members submitted to the federal government for appointment and they are still shouting that they are PDP and making statements? Relationship with a party is by choice, you can choose to stay or leave but to remain in the party and take the emblem of the party and in the night, you will be holding meetings against the party is condemnable."
Owie said there are two legacy groups of PDP in Edo State "The "A" legacy PDP that felt cheated that the new PDP that came with governor to took everything from commissioners upto council chairmen and councilors but yet stood with the PDP during the national and state elections of 2023. This group in PDP where I belong, believes that no reasonable person sets fire on his own house, because of an overbearing tenant. While those in group "B" PDP legacy believe that PDP house, Edo State be destroyed and later to be rebuilt. The group "A" legacy PDP in the state refused to sell out. By the grace of God, PDP in Edo shall rise."
On the Asue Ighodalo aspiration, Owie said "When there is no justice there can't be peace. Lucky Igbinedion did eight years from Edo South, PDP moved their candidature to Edo central and Professor Osunbor took it, we then of AC took ours to Edo North and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole took it and Oshiomhole completed his eight years. After Oshiomhole's eight years, it should have moved to central but the headmaster of PDP at that time who always said there is no vacancy in government house even for sitting governors felt that the slot should return to Benin which was unjust. For me it is clear that Edo Central should have the governorship after Obaseki.
"I have a friend there but the leadership of the Central on their part must decide who they want and along the line Edo Central PDP presented Asue Ighodalo as their preferred aspirant so I am one of those that have to respect what the leaders there wanted and they presented Ighodalo so on the day they presented him, he became my own candidate. I was the one that moved for his adoption in Uhunmwonde.
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He was in the economic team of Oshiomhole when I was in ACN and I related with him, he is a man that has compassion and he has a full background to reflect what Alli did in the old Bendel State.
"Alli became governor from Okpebholo, Osunbor came from Okoebholo so all those from Okpebholo are not expected to even vie from the central. Those from Agbazilo are expected to present themselves and many of them stepped down for Ighodalo so it is only people from that area that should contest, they should join their brother because tomorrow is another day. Anybody from Edo North after Oshiomhole's eight years must be a joker" he said.
