A member of the Dan Orbih led Legacy Coalition of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) and former House of Representatives, Hon Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama has joined the contest for PDP’s governorship ticket.
Ogbeide-Ihama’s declaration poses a threat to Governor Godwin Obaseki’s preferred aspirant Asue Ighodalo ahead of the party’s primaries. Orbih, who is the national vice chairman of PDP, has been at loggerheads with Obaseki over control of the party structure in the state.
However, Ogbeide-Ihama’s declaration was held at the Bishop Kelly Pastoral Centre where he met with Edo South Senatorial leaders of the party.
Prominent among the coalition members present were a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP, Hon Charles Idahosa; senatorial leader of the party, Hon Idehen Ebomoyi; deputy state chairman of the party, Harrison Omagbon; state women leader of the party, Mrs Tes Sorae; former women leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Dr Esosa Amadasun; and Mr Marttins Osakue among others.
Ogbeide-Ihama boasted that if the PDP makes him its candidate, the September election would be walk over as he said he has been a member of the party since 1998.
He said, “This is a formal notification and a passionate appeal to the leadership of the party to support me for my governorship ambition in the year 2024. There have been speculations and questions if Ogbeide-Ihama is interested in the governorship race or not. I want to formally notify you that I am contesting, and I need your support.
“Since 1998 till now that I have registered as a member of the party, I have remained in the party. I am a loyal member of my party. So, if we are to talk about loyalty, I am the person,” he claimed.
“If you talk about experience, I have the political and managerial experience to govern Edo. I have the managerial skills to manage humans and resources of Edo. I have the needed human relationship. I want to be governor of Edo and not a senatorial district. I am fully ready. All I need is your prayers. I will be governor of the whole Edo State and not a senatorial district.
“I want to bring development to Edo State. I want to empower our youths so they can stand on their own. I want to stop child mortality. There is no reason anyone above 70 years in Edo should lack healthcare. I want to give good free healthcare to our aged parents. Edo will be a state all of us would be proud of with Ogbeide-Ihama.”
Speaking, Idahosa said he supported Obaseki in 2020 and followed him to the PDP to get his second term with the coinage of the word torgba and “today, I have come before all of you to say osene (it is his time).”
