Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
The Edo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, said no aspirant has been screened or disqualified from the governorship race.
A six-man committee led by the House of Representative member representing Owan federal constituency of Edo State, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, was set up last monday to look into ways to prune the number of aspirants from 29 to a manageable number.
After the committee met with the aspirants, report emerged that the committee has screened the number of aspirants first to 10, later six and finally four, a developmental which has started to cause rancour and tension in the party.
But debunking the report, the Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Peter Uwadiae, said the Ihonvbere committee was an advisory one and not a screening committee.
He said the committee was to meet with aspirants and see how the numbers could be pruned down so that the primary election that would hold in February would be free of rancour.
“There is no truth in the news making the rounds that governorship aspirants have been screened and about 25 have been disqualified.
“Based on the advice of the National Working Committee of the party, we set up a committee led by Julius Ihonvbere to interface with the aspirants on the need to reduce the number of aspirants to a manageable one. It is after the close of sale of forms that the NWC will set up a screening committee.
“The Committee also advised the Edo APC to be in a talking relationship with the aspirants so that those who know they cannot go all the way can exit the race. So no aspirants has been screened and disqualified,” he added.
The Edo APC image maker also said the sale of the expression form, which cost N10 million and the nomination form, which was N40 million was on sale for anyone who wanted to vie for the governorship position on the platform of the party, noting that more aspirants were expected to join the race
He, however, said many of the aspirants were seeing reason why they should not purchase the forms while others were still eager to test their popularity at the primaries, noting that those who lose at the primaries have promised to stay and work for the party in the election.
Uwadiae said the party was going to the polls to win, urging members and supporters not to get agitated as the party believes in unity, fair play and democracy while also urging party faithful not to allow the situation to cause rancour and disaffection among them, which could rub off on the party negatively at the polls.
