From Moshood Olawale Karim
Ahead of the gubernatorial primary election slated for February this year, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has decided to trim down the number of governorship aspirants on its platform.
The aim, Uptown Press learned is to give the opposition party a healthy start, reduce tension, and make the number of aspirants manageable.
This decision was made after a tripartite meeting between the guber aspirants, the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party, and APC party leaders from across the senatorial districts of the State.
The meeting, Uptown Press gathered was held in response to the unwieldy number of guber aspirants that currently stand at about 26, and the rancorous proportions the campaign has taken in recent times.
The meeting was attended by Sen. Adams Oshiomole, a former governor of the State, the State APC leader, and a former APC national chairman. At the end of the meeting, a five-man committee was reportedly set up by leaders of the party to interface with the 26 aspirants and reduce the number to a reasonable and manageable level.
The committee is expected to engage with all the aspirants, hear their plans for the state, and assess their suitability for the position. The aim is to ensure that the party fields a candidate who is capable of winning the election and delivering good governance to the people of Edo State. While the decision to reduce the number of aspirants may not be popular with some of the party’s members, it is a necessary step to ensure that the APC has a strong chance of winning the election.
The party’s leaders believe that a smaller pool of candidates will help to reduce tension and promote unity within the party, which will be crucial in the run-up to the election.
