By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – THERE was uproar in the Edo South Senatorial District political space over a video that went viral by the spokesman of the faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State loyal to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, Bob-Manuel Umoru, where he revealed details about an alleged agreement the party had with Governor Monday Okpebholo ahead of the 2024 governorship election.

The claim is coming on the heels of the controversy that has trailed the All Progressives Congress senatorial election primary where Hon Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama secured the highest number of votes based on the results declared by the Chairman of the APC National Assembly Primary Election Committee, Muhammed Ajana.

But another aspirant, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu said he won the primary from the result collated from the field which was announced by another person.

Umoru in the viral video said an agreement to cede a senatorial seat to the Legacy PDP including other elective positions and appointment was signed at the private office of former National Chairman of the APC, Alhaji Umar Ganduje

He claimed that the signatories to the agreement included Edo APC Chairman. Jarret Tenebe, Governor Okpebholo, Ogbeide-Ihama and Secretary of Edo PDP, Hillary Itsu.

The Edo PDP spokesman said the agreement stipulated power sharing in the ratio of 70 to 30 percent and that there was nowhere it was agreed that Ogbeide-Ihama should be the beneficiary of the slot for the group.

According to him, “In the agreement, we agreed to share power on the basis of 70 to 30 percent. 70 for the APC and 30 for the Legacy Group. This agreement was written in the private office of former National Chairman of the APC, Alhaji Umar Ganduje.

“At the time the agreement was made, Ganduje was the National Chairman. I challenge all the signatories to make the document public for the world to see.

“We agreed in the document that elected offices will be shared. In the three senatorial districts, the Legacy Group will have a seat. It was not specified whether it will be Edo North, Edo Central or Edo South.

“I was privy to the agreement. This agreement was not honoured. On whether there was a clause in the agreement that Hon Ogbeide-Ihama be given a certain position, the answer is no. Ogbeide-Ihama is going about telling the world that the agreement said he should be given the Senate ticket. No clause in that agreement that particularly carried the name of Ogbeide-Ihama. There is no paragraph that carried the name of Ogbeide-Ihama that said he should be given a senatorial ticket.

“The only time his name appeared was in the signatory. Okpebholo and Jarret Tenebe signed on behalf of APC while Ogbeide-Ihama and Hillary Otsu signed on behalf of the PDP.

“That agreement never specified that Ogbeide-Ihama be given the Edo South ticket. Even if we decide on Edo South, it is the Legacy leaders that will decide who gets the ticket.

“The claim by Ogbeide-Ihama that the agreement stated he should be given the Edo South ticket in 2027 is a fallacy.”

Tenebe did not pick up calls to his cell phone.

It was gathered that the claim has generated strong reaction within the Legacy PDP group as many of the leaders were said to be angry with Umoru over the claims.

One of them told Vanguard that disciplinary action was being muted against him while a close aide of Ogbeide-Ihama simpley said “My Principal will not respond to him.”

The State Chairman of the Legacy PDP, Nosa Ogieva-Okunbor did not pick repeated calls to his line and was yet to respond to a whatsapp message as at the time of this report.