The Youth and Women’s wings of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Edo chapter, on Saturday kicked against the waiver granted Gov. Godwin Obaseki by the national leadership of the party.
The waiver was to enable the governor who just defected Friday from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest the party’s primary scheduled for Tuesday.
The youths under the auspices of PDP Youths for Justice, stated their opposition in a press statement made available to newsmen in Benin.
The coordinator of the youth group, Musa Kadiri, warned the party leadership to reward loyalty instead of looking for opportunities.
Kadiri said the three aspirants; Ken Imasuagbon, Gideon Ikhine and Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, besides Obaseki, were capable of defeating any candidate the APC would present.
Kadiri stated that the PDP might witness implosion if Obaseki was given the ticket on a platter of gold.
“We, the youths on ground in Edo know that the PDP has positioned itself to win the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
“We do not need Obaseki who is chased out of the APC based on questionable credentials.”
Similarly the women’s wing of the party in Egor Local Government led by Mrs Imuwahen Osasu, said the Edo PDP did not need Obaseki.
They noted that the Edo governorship election slated for Sept. 19, provided another opportunity to reward those that have been loyal to the party for over 12 years that the party have been out of power in the state.
Meanwhile, some chieftains of the PDP in Edo Central senatorial district have backed the aspiration of Mr Kenneth Imasuangbon popularly known as ‘Rice Man’ to clinch the ticket of the party at the party primaries scheduled for June 23.
Imasuagbon had refused pressure to step down from the race for Obaseki.
The Edo Central PDP chieftains in a press statement said their support for Imasuangbon was based on the need for the party to reward loyalty and commitment.
Speaking on behalf of the PDP chieftains from the five local government areas in Edo Central, Mr Solomon Eboigbe, urged Imasuagbon not to accept any offer to step down from the race.
Eboigbe said they have consulted widely across the state and the verdict from the people was the choice of Imasuangbon as their preferred candidate.