Edo 2016: PDP won’t impose governorship candidate —Orbih

By Gabriel Enogholase

BENIN—AHEAD of the July governorship election in Edo State, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has denied allegations that it would impose a candidate on the party to fly its flag in the election.

The party accused its major rival, the All Progressives Congress, APC, of engaging some of its members to foment crisis within it (PDP), by concocting the imposition theory.

State chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, who addressed party faithful at Agenebode, Fugar and Auchi, yesterday, during its local governments sensitization tour, described the rumour as the handiwork of some leaders who were bent on fomenting trouble in the party.

He said: “I want to appeal to our members to remain steadfast and let us reject those who are trying to sow the seed of discord in the party. Some people have taken it upon themselves the propagation of the theory of imposition, but as I stand here before you, I assure you that there will be no imposition of governorship candidate in this party.

“There will be no imposition but because of the problem they have now in the APC and the governor’s desperate attempt to impose a candidate on his party, some so-called leaders have been engaged to foment a crisis in PDP. Under my leadership, we will put those leaders to shame because we are going to evolve a process where the best candidate who will represent the interest of our people and our party will emerge as the official candidate of the party.

“Today, for those who have indicated interest to contest the coming election, I want to appeal to you to work hard, re-jig your strategies and you will have success. Nobody should sit down in his house to think that this party will nominate him as the candidate of our party.

“He must go out with credible credentials, good messages and canvass support of our party members. But for those leaders who think that they can sit in their houses to foment trouble, we will not allow them in the PDP. If they want to go, let them go.”

He promised that a PDP government in 2016 will review the current fees charged by the state-owned Ambrose Alli University, Eklopma, to enable poor parents afford it, just as he said that he would give bursary and scholarships to deserving students of Edo State origin in institutions of higher learning.