Johnchuks Onuanyim and Francis Ogbuagu 
The All Progressives Congress (APC) is likely to lose a whooping N1.4 billion should it continue to stick to the sale of nomination and expression of interest forms to only one governorship aspirant in Edo State. There about 29 persons that had indicated interest for the governorship ticket of the party but only one person was allowed to purchase the nomination and expression of interest forms before a stakeholders meeting of the aspirants, APC National Workings Committee and some other Edo state APC chieftains was held on Monday night. The stakeholders’ meeting, according to the APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Duro Meseko, was to avert crisis of litigation in the state party over the conduct of the primaries.
However, the National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, has said that the sales of the Edo State governorship nomination and expression of interest forms were still opened for sale. In a statement he released over the weekend, he said: “The All Progressives Congress (APC) wishes to clarify that the Expression of Inter- est and Nomination forms for the Edo State Governorship Election is open, available for purchase and collection to all interested Party Aspirants.” The only aspirant that was able to purchase the governorship forms before the stakeholders’ meeting was held last week is the former Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Dr. Clem Agba. Twenty-eight others, who had indicated interest for APC governorship ticket were halted from collecting the forms.
A party chieftain at the APC National Secretariat, who craved anonymity, said this was a repeat of what happened in 2020 when Senator Adams Oshiomhole was the APC National Chairman. Then, Oshiomhole had allegedly stopped the collection of Governorship ticket forms by Edo governorship aspirants after a few numbers and initiated a stakeholders meeting just as what is happening now. The party chieftain said: “At the end of the day, they would expect the party to re- lease N500 million to the state for governorship campaigns “The party should adopt a system that would be generally inclusive in the sales of forms and conduct of its primaries.” The Nomination and Ex- pression of Interest Forms of the APC governorship ticket is put at N40 million and N10 million respectively.
Meanwhile, an APC governorship aspirant, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, weekend declared that the viral report of his exclusion from the race and others by the Prof Julius Ihonvbere’s led screening panel was mere rumour, even as he said that he remained the candidate to beat in the forthcoming primaries and will eventually win the guber election . A viral report by the Prof Julius Ihonvbere screening committee had cleared only six aspirants and dropped 23 other aspirants with a pro- viso that they are however free to purchase the governorship nomination forms.
Arriving the Benin airport to a mammoth crowd of sup- porters and some party leaders of the APC, Ize-Iyamu dismissed the report of the panel, just as he announced that the National Working Committee, (NWC) have given clear directives that all aspirants for the governorship race were free to purchase nomination forms. He also described his relationship with Senator Adams Oshiomhole as cordial and a senior brother, whom he noted he holds in high esteem. He said: “I want to assure you that I am in the race and by next week, by the grace of God, I will collect the form. Any Edo person is worthy of the ticket and I’m not a stranger. I want to assure you that your support will not be in vain and there is nothing to worry about. “When you are contesting for an election, there are bound to be intrigues and all kinds of rumours and stories.
The highest organ of our party issued a statement by the publicity secretary and particularly on Edo Governorship election and specifically said that all those who have aspiration to run for governorship should go and collect the forms. “And that they are the only one to set up a screening committee which they will do at the appropriate time and if you look at the earlier time table released, you will find the schedule there. Let me announce that by next week, I will collect the form. “I know there were rumour that some people have been excluded but by that NWC release, that is not possible anymore. The only people that can exclude aspirants is the committee set up by the NWC. I want to assure you that I will contest and win the election.”
On his relationship with the leader of the party in the state and former Governor of the state, Sen. Adams Oshiomhole, he said: “Our relationship is cordial. He is my senior brother and I respect age. We have worked together for many years. He is the leader of our party and a distinguished senator.”
