By SIMON EBEGBULEM, BENIN CITY

It is fourteen days to the D-Day in Edo state, that is the governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, slated for 18th June 2016 and the heat is on in the state. Like you have super delegates, we also have super governorship aspirants in the APC and they have been traversing the 192 wards in the state including the creeks in Ovia North East of the state, in search of delegates. The over three thousand expected delegates who will vote at the primaries are the most sought after personalities in the state today.

The joke in Edo today is while other citizens are lamenting of economic hardship, APC delegates in Edo are smiling to the banks on daily basis as the aspirants, most of them with deep pockets, are battling to outwit each other with cash. The key aspirants in the race include former governor of the state, Prof.Osarhiemien Osunbor, deputy Governor of the state, Dr Pius Odubu, Dr Chris Ogienwonyi, Mr Godwin Obaseki, Gen.Charles Airhiavbere and Kenneth Imasuagbon.

As part of efforts to ensure that the party retains the state, the Progressives Governor’s Forum sent three of its governors to come and meet with APC leaders and the aspirants at Government House Benin. The governors who came were Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state, Simon Lalong of Plateau State and Arigbesola of Osun State. Saturday Vanguard learnt that the decision to send the governors to interact with them was made at the Progressives Governors Forum last week. The aspirants faced the APC governors who probed questions on different issues.

After addressing leaders of the party, the three governors met separately with each of the aspirants with a view to give all of them fair hearing. The governors told the leaders and the aspirants that their mission in the state was to bring unity and ensure that a level playing field is provided for all the aspirants. They urged them to come up with their complaints to enable the party leadership tackle the issues before the primaries. They stressed the need for unity ahead the general election coming up on the 10th of September, with Governor Arigbesola asserting to them that “Edo is the only state we have in the South South and we don’t intend to give it out. This election is a must win for the party so we need the corporation of everybody to achieve that and that is why we were sent here”.

After addressing the general party leadership, the aspirants were called upon one after the other to come and face the three man panel. Vanguard learnt the aspirants were asked questions on different issues just as each of them spent about 40minutes with the panel members. Aspirants such as Prof.Osunbor, Obaseki and Ogienwonyi expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the interaction saying that the visit would bring unity among the aspirants. According to Osunbor, “ it was a nice move because from what they said, they don’t want crisis in Edo and they also recognized that APC must retain the state. So they met with us, they gave everybody opportunity to air their minds which was a very good move.

In fact they did it in such a way that each of us met with them privately and that afforded you the opportunity to freely express your mind to them. It was a very good move and I applaud the party and the Progressives Governors. I am glad they came and this will help the party a lot”. Also speaking, Obaseki described the interaction as a welcome development, saying “it will help all of us know that we are all under one party, APC, so no need for war. The governors drilled us on several issues which I feel are key in this race.

It is not all about casting aspersions or saying one is a politician or a political neophyte, it is all about what we want to do for our people. The visit is just to remind us that we must be party members always and for me that is the key. We must run this race like brothers and like I told them, I have prepared myself, if I am defeated, I’ll congratulate the winner and if I win I expect them to congratulate me”.

Meanwhile, Obaseki is enjoying the full backing of his boss, Oshiomhole so far as the governor’s foot soldiers led by Osarodion Ogie, who incidentally is the Director General of the Obaseki Campaign Organization is leading the way. The APC lawmakers both in the state and National Assembly members are behind him. He has enjoyed the endorsement of APC delegates from Owan East and West, Ovia North East, Etsako, Oshiomhole’s domain and majority of the party leaders.