Prominent political leaders on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Edo North have endorsed the former Minister of State for Budget and National Panning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, as their choice aspirant that would be overwhelmingly supported to clinch the party’s ticket during the forthcoming governorship primary election.
The endorsement was the outcome of meeting convened in Jattu on Saturday, September 23, 2023 by a former Chairman of Etsako West Local Council, Hon. Alasa Idaro Mohammed.
Mohammed said that the meeting was convened for Edo North leaders to discuss and reach a broad consensus on who the zone should support in the party’s forthcoming governorship primary election and the subsequent governorship election in 2024.
He spoke about the necessity to support someone from Edo North that would approximate both the zonal and state interest, pointing out that by virtue of his wealth of experience, Agba should be supported to win the party’s ticket and to become the next Governor of the state.
Mohammed reviewed the past performances of Agba including how he made Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the current Edo North Senator proud, when he served as a State Commissioner under his administration as Governor of Edo State, which further necessitated his (Agba’s) nomination as a minister in the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said that Agba had more than 76 verifiable capital projects that he facilitated to Edo State during his tenure as a minister which would further enhance his electoral chances, and urged the leaders to support him (Agba) to become the next governor of Edo State.
Speaking in turn, former Chairman of Etsako Central Local Government Council, Comrade Suleiman Bagudu, said that Agba was eminently qualified to occupy the position of Edo State governor, adding that all hands must be on deck to work assiduously for his victory.
Bagudu informed the meeting that the governorship ticket of the party was not exclusively ceded to any particular zone, even as he maintained that the race for the governorship ticket would be thrown open to all the senatorial districts in the state.
He noted that with the clean and meritorious records of Agba, his candidature was a sure game changer for the APC as it moved to dislodge the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming Edo State governorship election.
Alaso speaking, former Chairman of Owan East Local Government Council, Hon Sufianu Igafe, said Agba’s qualifications and achievements had necessarily made him the next governor of Edo State and advised everyone to see and key into the project and engage in the process that would eventually see him through.
A prominent woman politician, Chief Mrs Edith Ayeni, aka Mama Africa, from Owan West Local Government Area, said that Agba had the capacity and experience to be the governor of Edo State, adding that the monumental projects he facilitated across the three senatorial districts of the State made him an asset to the party and said that they had also enhanced his marketability at any given poll.
A chieftain of the APC, Alhaji Kelly Oshiomhole, noted that politics was a game of number, played by the people, explaining that it is not a personal venture because no one can singlehanded make it through and therefore advised that all stakeholders should continue to consult and further mobilize the people beyond Edo North in order to gain a wider acceptance for Agba.
He applauded the performance of Agba in public office and noted that his records of achievements would naturally make the pendulum swing in his favour and guarantee his victory both at the primary and general elections.
Other leaders who spoke at the well-attended meeting included the former Secretary, Etsako West Local Government Council, Hon Zibiri Mohammed, Chief Mrs Waziri Oshiomah, Prince Alan Funzi and Chief Mrs Florence Anagaba.
After an exhaustive appraisal of the entire political environment with regards to the high number of people showing interest in the Edo governorship position, it was unanimously agreed that all leaders and APC faithful in Edo North Senatorial District should throw their weight behind Prince Agba and ensure his victory in the forthcoming APC Primary election as well as in the subsequent Edo governorship election in 2024.
