By Ozioruva Aliu, Benin-City

A meeting called by some leaders of the All Progressives Congress in Edo state to have a consensus candidate to face Governor Godwin Obaseki in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election ended in a deadlock yesterday and the exercise postponed but Vanguard gathered that consultation is continuing and a fresh meeting would be rescheduled.

The meeting which was slated to hold at the residence of a former deputy governor of the state, Hon Lucky Imasuen was disrupted during the process of trying to agree on modalities to be used for the shadow election.

It was gathered that there was controversy on whether to allow the 14 elected house of assembly members who are yet to resume sitting to vote and Vanguard gathered that it was agreed that they should vote and that the decision caused the division as most of 14 of them are said to be supporting the aspiration of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

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An aspirant was said to have questioned the number of delegates from Edo North and Edo Central.

It was gathered that the contest was fierce amongst the trio of Ize-Iyamu, former Deputy Governor, Hon Pius Odubu and former Minister of State for Works, Egr Chris Ogiemwonyi. It was gathered that Ogiemwonyi left the meeting for his home shortly after the meeting was disrupted.

A source who was in the meeting that was closed to the media said “The consensus arrangement was led by and presided over by Hon Prof. Julius Ihonvbere before it was scuttled in Chief Lucky Imasuen’s house.

Some of the aspirants believed that the 14 lawmakers will support Ize-Iyamu and initially opposed their inclusion before it was agreed that they should be part of it. An aspirant also raised concerns about the number of delegates from Edo Central and Edo North.

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Some of the aspirants had stepped down for Ize-Iyamu which boosted his chances but others raised issues that led to the disruption which we believe one of them sponsored and then the eventual postponement.

The composition of the delegates, if it was not disrupted, would have given an edge to Ize-Iyamu who seems to have majority support” he said.

Vanguard