Suspense In Edo As Uzodimma Leads APC Panel To ‘Betray’ Oshiomhole

With reports that the top hierarchy of the All Progressives Congress, APC has centered on Senator Monday Okpebholo as the party’s governorship candidate in Edo State, eyes are focused on Governor Hope Uzodimma, the chairman of the primary election organising committee given his historic relationship with Senator Adams Oshiomhole.

Though it has not been publicly confirmed, it has been variously alleged that Oshiomhole is backing the aspiration of Rep Denis Idahosa, who once served in his cabinet as a commissioner.

If there is any truth to the claim of Oshiomhole backing Idahosa, the Edo North senator and leader of the state caucus of the APC is expected to for the first time be at loggerheads with his longtime political partner, Governor Uzodimma.

The primary, according to credible sources is expected to deliver Senator Okpebholo following directives from senior party leaders in Abuja who have decided to zone the ticket to Edo Central and to the person of Senator Okpebholo.

GWG.ng reports that Oshiomhole was national chairman of the party when Uzodimma emerged as the APC candidate in the 2019 governorship election having outsmarted the then governor of the state, Senator Rochas Okorocha who was pushing his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu to be his successor.

Since then Uzodimma and Oshiomhole have regularly been in the same political arrangement within the APC.

Ahead of the APC primary in Edo State, one of the aspirants, Dr. Blessing Agbomhere had raised the alarm over what he described as a plot by Oshiomhole to foist Idahosa on the party using Uzodimma.

He had said:

“APC’s National Working Committee must not allow Senator Oshiomhole to ridicule APC and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu again in Edo State.”

According to him Uzodimma was the Chairman of the APC Party Primaries Committee that returned Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the Candidate of the party in 2020 and stayed with the duo of Ize-Iyamu and Oshiomhole throughout the period of the election, hence his coming again in 2024 will be seen as that of a hatchet man.”

Remarkably, his alarm was sounded about a week before the party announced Uzodimma as chairman of the primary committee.

So, when the Imo State governor was eventually announced as the chairman of the primary committee the fears appeared to have been established.

However, with the decision of the party hierarchy to zone the ticket to Edo Central and to the person of Senator Okpebholo, eyes are focused on Uzodimma on how he will work against his long time political soulmate, Oshiomhole.

However, one party figure told GWG.ng on Friday:
“Uzodimma is a man of the system. He will not rock the boat. He knows the mind of the party from the president down, he cannot mortgage his interest by backing off or supporting Oshiomhole this time,” the source said.

Meanwhile, apparently conforming the directives to Uzodimma to deliver the ticket to Edo Central, two of the leading aspirant from Edo South Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and Mr Lucky Imasuen pulled out of the contest on the eve of the primary election.

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