Stakeholders reject PDP ‘Kangaroo Primaries’ in Owan West

People of Owan West Local Government have vehemently rejected what they term the political maligning caused by the desperation of Hon. Johnson Abolagba and Barrister Dennis Ejere to do democratic injustice to the people of the local government.

Consequently, the people have rejected what they described as the ‘Kangaroo Primary Chairmanship Election’ purportedly held on Wednesday, May 24th, 2023.

According to them, “we reject the serpentine and treacherous nature of some mischievous insiders in Owan West Local Government who call themselves leaders of the people of the local government who are keen in foisting Hon. Dickson Ahonsi former Liaison Officer (immediate cousin of Hon. Johnson Abolagba) on the people of the local government and who sold out the entire Owan people as a whole.

“What is more is that the said Hon. Dickson Ahonsi was not qualified to Contest the position of the Chairman of Council been the Liaison Officer as at the time he picked up his form to contest having not resigned from his position as Liaison Officer.”


Going further in a statement signed by the Concerned leaders and stakeholders of the local government they stated: “We vehemently call for the entire cancellation of the purported Owan West PDP Chairmanship Primary Election held on 24th May, 2023 which was even done without the legal backing of the supposed and authentic delegates. The entire 11 wards in Owan West Local Government is saying no to the injustice done to them and to the political deleterious done to HON. IMADU OMONLEI.

“We call for the Governor to intervene as the people of Owan West have decided to get it right in anticipation of “EDO’ 2024”. We recall that the Governor, Mr. Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, in a meeting with the aspirants in Jattu promised to zero in on one of them, and that the announcement would be made on the previous Tuesday night(May 23). So, how come a Kangaroo Primaries was held without the Governor’s pronoucement been adhered to?

“Moreover, delegates elections were not held in Owan West. So where did they get the delegates that voted in the Kangaroo Primaries?

“How come Hon. Johnson Abolagba, the so called super leader, was a member of the Appeal Committee, Barrister Dennis Ejere, from the same Ward 6 was on the Electoral Panel, and their candidate for the election is also from Ward 6. Where is the justice?

“It should be noted that it took the intervention of the Governor to be physically present for the Owan West people to change their mind on the day of the last House of Assembly election as regards the PDP flagbearer and His Excellency promised not to ever relegate the people of the local government when it comes to political dealings in Edo State.

“The people are calling on His Excellency to remember his promise as it is time to act and cancel the sham called Primary Election held on Wednesday, May 24th, 2023 by allowing Owan West to choose who will lead them and not subverting and subjecting the people to the hands of political mischievians.

“Owan West cannot be fooled. No longer shall we continue to impoverish the people of Owan West so as continue to make them live in peasantry lustre.

“We call on the Governor, the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and all concerned individuals to do the right thing as a stitch in time saves nine as the 2024 Gubernatorial Election is just around the corner.”