A group of APC loyalists in Edo State, Concerned APC Stakeholders, have written a strongly worded letter to the President, Bola Tinubu and the party’s national chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda on the state of affairs as regards the forthcoming primaries in Edo South.
The letter written by Barrister Richard Omozusi stated in clear terms that there’s an urgent to ensure neutrality and fair process in Edo South Senatorial Primary.
Barrister Omosuzi stated that “with the Edo South Senatorial primary scheduled for this month, we are compelled to raise a matter that threatens party cohesion if not addressed promptly.”
According to Barrister Omosuzi “across Edo South, there is growing concern that the office of the Governor is being perceived as aligned with specific aspirants ahead of the primary. Whether this perception matches reality or not, the optics alone are damaging.
“When the chief executive of a state is seen to be taking sides in an internal contest, it erodes confidence in the process, depresses grassroots participation, and gives opposition parties an opening to paint APC as undemocratic.”
Governor Monday Okpebholo was said to have been elected by all Edo people, “APC members and non-members alike. His role in this primary is to guarantee a level playing field, not to tilt it.”
Basedon this he was admonished to play in unifying role in the primary as doing otherwise “risks creating a divided party going into the general election. The cost of that division will be borne by APC, not by any single aspirant.”
Edo South holds the largest voter block in Edo State and “thus a primary that is open, transparent, and competitive will: restore confidence among party members who feel sidelined; produce a candidate with a mandate that can withstand scrutiny in the general election and prevent the narrative that APC imposes candidates, which has cost the party in past elections.”
The group appealed to the Presidency and National Secretariat, to “communicate clearly to all state governors that neutrality in internal party contests is non-negotiable under APC’s constitution and code of conduct; deploy the party’s monitoring mechanisms to ensure the Edo South primary is conducted without interference or the perception of interference and reaffirm that governors are expected to act as fathers to all party members during primaries, as President Tinubu has consistently emphasized at the national level.”
In conclusion, the stakeholders affirmed that they “trust that this message will be received in the spirit of loyalty and concern for the party’s future. APC cannot afford to enter the next election cycle with a fractured base in Edo South.”
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