By correspondent in Benin.
Retired Army General, Charles Airhiavbere, says he is the best to fly the APC flag in the Edo Gubernatorial race in September this year. if the party must win the election.
Speaking to his teeming supporters in Benin City after he had officially submitted his ‘Expression of Interest’ and ‘Nomination’ forms as an APC gubernatorial aspirant, Gen. Airhiavbere said: “We are going to work tirelessly to make sure that APC will present only the best and I can assure you that the best is (standing) before you. I am the one.”
Airhiavbere, reiterated his confident vision for the State with the slogan, ‘GC oghi soegbe’, the Bini version of ‘Emilokan’. He reinforced his determination to bring positive change and progress to Edo State, emphasizing that the strategic importance of Edo South in the upcoming election could not be overemphasized.
“Edo South Senatorial District is where the battleground is for obvious reasons. Because Edo South voted in protest, the PDP, where the governor is from, got elected in the last gubernatorial election even when it was rating a far second or third shortly before the election.
“The people voted their conscience; even the incumbent Senator from Edo South did not print any poster, banner or conduct press conferences about his aspiration and yet still won”, the retired General said.
Gen. Airhiavbere (rtd), the immediate past Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) asserted that he had the capacity to collapse structures in the Edo PDP to add to what the APC has, stressing that “I have always preached that Edo State should come to the centre in Nigeria’s politics; we should not be in opposition; we need to key in.”
He criticized the governance style of the current PDP administration in the state, arguing that “we are not supposed to have a governor who makes signboards and puts on the street saying that ‘this road belongs to the Federal government”.
“Edo deserves an APC governor who can actively engage in advocacy for the state’s interests at the Federal level”, he said.
In a related development, he spoke to state’s Party leadership and membership, urging them to “try and get it right”, adding that they should be rest assured that they will all be in Edo state to “witness the inauguration of Maj.-Gen Charles Ehigie Airhiavbere rtd, mni as the Governor of Edo State.”
Our Correspondent reports that the General’s aspiration has further set the stage for an epic APC primary fixed for February 17, 2024, where 12 aspirants are presently in the race.
Edited by Dawud Ahmed.
