Edo 2016: ALGON denies endorsing Oshiomhole's choice

There is trouble in the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following alleged endorsement of Mr Godwin Obaseki by Governor Adams Oshiomhole and the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) as the preferred candidate for the 2016 governorship race.
Reacting to the rumour that it had been mandated to carry an advertorial in support of Oshiomhole’s candidate, ALGON Secretary, Mr Jimoh Ijegbai, on Tuesday dismissed the speculation, adding that only the critical stakeholders can decide who emerges as the party’s candidate.
Ijegbai, who is the Owan East Council boss said even Oshiomhole cannot decide for them about what to do as the interest of the people must come first before any politician.
“When the times comes and as critical stakeholder in the system, we have the right to decide who our preferred choice will be but before we do that, we must consider the interest of Edo people. Edo people must come first.
“But for now, it is too early to start thinking that way. I can assure you that not even the governor or other officials can tell us what to do. In any case, when the time comes, we will do the needful. No¬body can coax us to do what is not right”.
Disturbed by the pronouncement, an aspirant under the APC platform, Engr Chris Ogiemwonyi, in an interview said it will be a complete misplacement of trust if the governor is found to be endorsing any candidate.
Ijegbai, however, said, “When you hear things like this, many people prepare to discuss things they don’t know. Oshiomhole preached ‘one-man; one-vote’ cam¬paign five years ago and we saw what happened in this state; things have changed. I, as a person, like to commend people. This guy destroyed god-fatherism. In this state before now, we have about three people who decide how things are shared, but today, godfatherism is buried and our prayer is that it will never rise again in Edo State.
, so when I hear that the governor has anointed some¬body, I doubt it. All APC is going to do is that we are go¬ing to the field; there will be an open primary; it is the peo¬ple that decide.
“He has promised that there will be a free-and-fair primaries, how will anoint¬ing come into that? If he is anointing, it is the people you should blame because the only way you can exhibit de¬mocracy is through open bal-lot and that is what the man is preaching.