Oshiomhole in a Fix on Who to Choose in Edo
The leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Senator Adams Oshiomhole is in a dilemma over who to support in the 2024 governorship primaries to pick the ticket of the party in the state, as they look forward to primary election in February.
Oshiomhole who is the immediate past governor of Edo State has been on the frontline in the governorship elections in the state since 2007 when he first made his bid for the governorship and was declared winner by the courts in 2008.
Since the end of his governorship in 2016, Oshiomhole has been the biggest determinant of the ticket backing Godwin Obaseki for the APC ticket in 2016 and throwing him out in 2020.
He was also central to bringing in Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the 2020 candidate of the party but the plan for victory was sabotaged by internal discord at the national level of the APC where some governors in the party among others reportedly worked to frustrate the party in the election.
It was gathered that the current senator representing Edo North in the Senate is this time stuck between backing Ize-Iyamu and another contender, Washington Osifo who served as a commissioner in his administration for the APC ticket.
Both aspirants are from Edo South, a region that is likely to be key to the outcome of the election given its dominant size in the state.
It was learnt that Oshiomhole was initially bent on Osifo apparently because he had been his political protegee but other reasons are said to be now weighing to the contrary.
But it was gathered that the confusion flows from the prospects of winning between Osifo and Ize-Iyamu with the Redeemed pastor who has contested the two past elections having a name recognition that projects him better.
However, fears that Ize-Iyamu may be uncontrollable is a factor that is also said to be weighing against him in the Oshiomhole camp as concerning the APC ticket.
The risk of the APC winning or losing in the main election, it is believed, could turn out to be the factor that determines how the immediate past governor of the state throws out support.