By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – AHEAD of the coming National Assembly primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, a policy and data group, the Fair Representation Initiative for Edo South (FRIES) has urged the leadership of the party to adopt uniform performance benchmarks in selecting its candidate for the Edo South Senatorial seat.

In a report released by the Executive Director of the group; Scot Oniawu and its Director of Research and Strategy, Osarodion Ibizugbe the group stressed that the party must prioritise indicators such as voter base, federal leverage, ward-level presence and the capacity to address long-standing local government marginalisation, insisting that sentiment and recent defection should not override empirical evidence.

FRIES said it conducted an audit of six declared and likely aspirants and that its findings showed that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu leads the field when assessed against its listed criteria.

The group said “the APC must apply performance benchmarks uniformly if it intends to retain electoral dominance in Edo South.

“The data clearly indicates that voter base, federal access, ward structure and equity considerations are not theoretical metrics but decisive factors in winning elections.”

The group also noted that Governor Monday Okpebholo required strong and electable senatorial candidates to deliver the APC’s projected 2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

“Governor Okpebholo needs all three Senate seats to meet the party’s national vote target. Fielding a candidate with demonstrated popularity and structure is therefore not optional but strategic. On current evidence, Ize-Iyamu represents the most viable option for the APC in Edo South,” FRIES stated.

The group also observed that Orhionmwon Local Government Area, which is Ize-Iyamu’s area has not produced a senator since 1999 despite its voting strength, arguing that “correcting LGA marginalisation is both a moral and electoral imperative that can significantly boost turnout outside the Benin metropolis.”

The group urged APC leaders to remain consistent and data-driven in their decision-making process, adding, “this is not about personalities but performance. The party’s best chance lies in aligning its ticket with verifiable benchmarks that guarantee both fairness and victory at the polls.”