BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

BENIN-The ten-man list of ministerial nominees sent to the Presidency by the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State has further threatened the unity of the party in the state.

Vanguard learnt that President Goodluck Jonathan had decided to give two ministerial slots to the state, a junior and senior minister.

 As a result, the leaders of the party in the three senatorial districts are battling to grab the positions. Majority of the PDP leaders have relocated to Abuja  to monitor events and ensure their preferred candidates get the slots.

 Among the names sent to the presidency includes that of the state chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, former Presidential aide, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, Sarah Adetugbobou, former Minister of State for Defence, Mr  Mike Onolemenmen, Clifford Ordia, Mr Lucky Imasuen, Giwa Agbonmerele, Mathew Urhohide and Sifatu Inu-Umoru. However, those being tipped to pick up the positions are Prof.  Ihonvbere, Chief  Orbih and Mr Onolemenmen.  The Dr Samuel Ogbemudia/Admiral Mike Akhigbe-led PDP in the state, has, however, criticised the list sent to the Presidency by the Orbih-led PDP, saying that they send their own list to the Presidency, since all of them voted for the President.

 The faction made their stand known in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Dr Francis Iyasere.

Vanguard learnt that the leadership of the party in the state had zoned the 2012 governorship seat to Edo South senatorial district.

 Mayaki disowns report on Edo Commissioners list

By VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

BENIN-Senior Special Assistant, Media Affairs, to Edo State Governor, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, Prince John Mayaki, yesterday, denied a  report credited to him in a national newspaper, (not Vanguard), where he was quoted to have described Edo Commissioners’ list as defective, and rejecting the Commissioner nominee from his Akoko  Edo Local Government Area, Mrs. Anena Jemitola.

Visibly angry, Prince Mayaki, said those who linked him to the fictitious and faceless emergency group, known as Akoko Edo ACN Youth Leaders’ Forum, were not only wicked, but satanic. He said the forum exits only in the imagination of its mischievous and retrogressive sponsors.

According to him, “as a Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Governor, it defies simple logic for me to have indulged in clandestine and surreptitious moves to thwart the good intentions of the Governor towards my own council or the state in general.

Besides, when the news filtered in that some miscreants, mischief makers and disgruntled politicians were mobilizing to stage a protest against our only commissionership nominee, I drew the attention of the Governor to same, just as I did everything humanly possible to stop the malicious protest.

“As a patriotic Akoko Edo indigene,   I could not have issued a statement questioning the efforts of the Governor to engage fresh minds with the wherewithal to move the state forward.

“I state that newsmen drew my attention to a malicious petition by some faceless persons for which I advised the reporters to disregard same and went ahead to issue a  statement on the commitment of the Governor to transparency as regards disclosure of public finances and expenditure,” he added.