A former governor of Edo State, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said aspirants from every senatorial zone of the state have the constitutional right to vie for the position of governor in 2024.
Speaking after a meeting of Edo South leaders at his residence on Sunday night, the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress said Edo South would not stay aloof as the jostling for the state’s top seat continues.
He said, “We are looking at the Edo State unfolding political equation and at the end of the day we ask ourselves, what is in it for Edo South?
“The zone has the current governor, Godwin Obaseki, and they are not complaining, but that the zone cannot afford to live in the past as the governor’s tenure will end next year.
“We have the governor, who will conclude his tenure next year, but nobody lives in the past. Nobody goes to bed and says the present is good and therefore he will not care about the day that will break tomorrow.
“We can’t be that stupid. We are looking at the immediate future and what we are seeing is not very interesting. So we are looking at how we can make amends to be sure that we are not left behind in the scheme of things.”
On which zone gets the nod for the Edo 2024 governorship, Odigie-Oyegun said, “Edo is noted for considering every zone and that is why we are the heartbeat of Nigeria. We will continue to show good examples and we pray that other parts of the country will learn from it. But that does not mean that we will not be realistic and assert our positions and our expectations.
“Constitutionally, the door is open for everybody to contest for the position of the governor, not me nor the governor can foreclose what will happen or decide on the interest of others. The issue of zoning is the problem of political parties and not ours.”
The meeting also had in attendance, Governor Godwin Obaseki; former Governor Lucky Igbinedion; the Secretary to the Edo State Government, Osarodion Ogie; Labour Party governorship aspirant, Olumide Akpata; former Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire; Prof Gregory Akenzua, among others.
