Edo guber poll: APC has no plans to impose candidate – Obhakhan

Ahead of the 2024 Edo State gubernatorial election, Gideon Obhakhan, one of the aspirants, on Thursday, said the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Adams Oshiomhole, a former state governor, will not impose any candidate on Edo people

Obhakhan also expressed the belief that the gubernatorial election would be free and fair.

Obhakhan, who served as commissioner for education under Oshiomhole, said the party’s interest in winning the election and providing developmental leadership in the state along popular lines could only be achieved by allowing the people to decide their leader.

According to him, this has made the party aligned with the democratic reality and considerations that take cognizance of age, capacity and regional diversity in the political development of the state viz-a-viz political fairness.

Read also: Abia sets up taskforce on reaccreditation of 500 private schools

He said developing Edo was paramount to the APC and only concession to electoral processes for the emergence of candidates would be followed, in accordance with the dictates of the electoral law.

Obhakhan said public opinion in the state favoured Edo Central and the party would not run against the opinion of the people who would vote in the election and determine the ultimate winner.

The gubernatorial aspirant said his aspiration was propelled by his desire to lift the state from its current levels of under development, by concentrating on infrastructure development.

He listed his areas of priority to include, agriculture, roads, education, women and youth empowerment, as well as ICT.

On the challenges of godfathers in politics, the APC chieftain said: “While I do not believe in the concept of godfatherism, I still believe that the concept should not be held from the negative perspective.”