Edo guber: Stakeholders endorse Ogbeide-Ihama as Okpebholo’s deputy

Agency report

Some All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders from Edo South Senatorial District of Edo have endorsed Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama as the running mate to Sen. Monday Okpebholo, the party’s governorship candidate.

They made the endorsement at a meeting attended by top Edo South former governorship aspirants and other critical stakeholders in Abuja.

Edo off season governorship election is billed to take place on Sept. 21, while the governorship election of Ondo comes two months later in November.

Prominent among those who attended the meeting were; Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), Lucky Imasuen and Sen. Matthew Urhoghide among others.

Ogbeide-Ihama, a former member of the House of Representatives and a notable politician from Edo South, until recently was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He was a key personality in Dan Orbih-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo South, before he decamped to the APC with his supporters.

Some Edo APC stakeholders believed that his movement to the party and his endorsement by leaders from the senatorial district would earn the APC electoral victory from Edo South.

One of the leaders, who spoke on grounds of anonymity, told journalists that major leaders from Edo South had never been this united before for the governorship election in the state.

“With Ogbeide-Ihama as the running mate to Okpebholo, all APC leaders from Edo South have formed a united front.

“We will deliver the entire Benin zone to the APC for the first time. This time around, there are no cracks in the party in Edo South.

“Ogbeide-Ihama is coming into APC with all the ward leaders of the PDP in Edo South and across the three senatorial districts in the State.

“It means 18 factional chairmen of the PDP in Edo, 192 Ward chairmen and other critical stakeholders are going to work for the success of APC in Edo,” he said.

He noted that the Edo PDP was strong because of the calibre of its members, who had now joined the APC, saying, “2024 governorship election is a game changer and victory assured for APC’’.

Okpebholo said, he welcomed the move and had fully endorsed the action taken by the party’s leaders in Edo South.

He said APC was going into the elections more united than ever and expressed optimism that he would emerge as Edo next governor.

“I fully welcome the development and the endorsement of Ogbeide-Ihama by leaders of APC from Edo South.

“This shows that the APC family in Edo is fully ready to go into this election as a united body and we will finish strong,” Okpebholo said.