Osaro Onaiwu, Coordinator of the PDP Governors’ Forum, is one of the governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo state. In this interview with Vanguard, he bares his mind on how the PDP can take over power from the APC in Edo state. Excerpts:

By Simon Ebegbulem

What informed your decision to join the Edo guber race?

Joining the governorship race was done out of deliberate consultation across board. Having worked closely with most governors, I have garnered the requisite experience to run a state like Edo with its multi-ethnic but closely related groups.

Edo requires a new pragmatism; a fresh insight devoid of those that have seen it as their God-given heritage to stay perpetually in power. We need a certain mix of the new and old and that is what I want to offer; a fresh impetus for us to harness the human and natural potential that abounds in our state.

Your party, the PDP, has about five of you angling for the party’s ticket how optimistic are you in picking the ticket?

Osaro Onaiwu

Like I have always said, those of us vying for the ticket of the PDP are better qualified than anybody the APC will be presenting to the people of the state to decide on. I look forward to a contest that is done in brotherliness, without acrimony and bad blood.

I am not a proper establishment person. I am coming into the race with my focus intent on the Edo people, what I can do to change the status quo based on my broad contacts and reach to give meaning to our collective destiny in Edo state.

I remain optimistic that our party will do what is right; that the days of lack of internal party democracy have been banished as we rebrand and that being so and with God on our side as well as my credibility and experience, I will be flying the party’s flag.

Do you think the PDP stands a chance of reclaiming Edo state from the APC?

I do not know how much attention you have paid to Edo State because our people have been over taxed, market women, the villages, drinking parlours, government offices and walk on the streets, the people are weary, tired and clamour for respite from the burden which the APC government has visited on them. For me and my team, we proffer solutions and not just saying nothing is working!

The APC is even in serious rancour because the party lacks discipline and internal democracy. Come to think of it, the heavy tax burden on the people has not translated into commensurate results. There is no gainsaying that the PDP is on course to reclaim Edo and join other South-South states in the peer review mechanism of the party.

The PDP is caught in a serious power struggle for national office. Will this not stunt the rebranding effort of the party?

These are post-power crises after 16 years being at the centre. The party will overcome this wrangling by March and I can assure you that there are calculated engagements going on to bring every segment to the table. Nigerians need to support the effort to reposition the party and not encourage the APC in its desperation to turn the country into a one-party state. PDP is on course and as a family, issues will be resolved with time.