Charles Idahosa, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Tuesday, urged Edo indigenes to look beyond tribal sentiments and vote for a candidate with the capacity needed to succeed Governor Godwin Obaseki in 2024.
Idahosa, a former aide to Adams Oshiomhole, while briefing newsmen in Benin City, said every Edo person was qualified to contest for the governorship position of the state and frowned at the narrative that it is the turn of a certain tribe in the state.
The PDP chieftain, while pointing out that the protest by the people of Esan extraction that it was their turn to produce the next governor is not acceptable, said Esan politicians had participated in all the previous governorship primary elections in the past and, so, that of 2024 should not be an exemption.
“There is no time elections are being conducted and tied to a particular ethnic group or tied to a particular senatorial district. Recently of Governor Obaseki, there was no time it was left for the Benins alone, every other tribe took part in that election and the best person won in the primaries. So, when anybody says it is my turn, it is unacceptable to me.
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“The good thing about Edo State is that there is no ethnic group, there is no tribe in Edo state that cannot trace the origin from Benin. That’s a statement of fact so we don’t want a situation where politicians will use ethnicity and religion to divide us. As the activities of the 2024 Edo state governorship race gather momentum, we need a true Edolite who we seek at this time for a quest for a better Edo, we want a proper Edo person, not Benin, not Esan, not Afemai,” Idahosa said.
“Every Edo person is eminently qualified to run for the governorship of the state and we are now left to look at all of them, look at their profiles, look at their experiences and make a choice. Reducing our choice to areas will not be accepted.
“If we want to start breaking it down, you will discover that each senatorial district can give reasons why it should be their turn because there are so many advantages some areas have had above others.
“For example, like the Benis, we can say we want to hold on to the governorship because we haven’t produce the Vice President of this country, the late Admiral Aikhomu was Vice President, Akhigbe was Vice President and we the Benis have never done it or have that privilege, there was a time two Esan men chairman of a National chairman of Political Parties, Tom Ikimi and late Tony Anenih.
“Let us leave all this sentiment and look for any aspirants that can be governor to all,” he added.
