A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Chief Dennis Omonkhodion, has appealed to Senator Clifford Ordia and former minister of works, Mr Mike Onolememen, to support Mr Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to become Edo Central nest senator.
He lamented that the two politicians who were products of the late Chief Tony Anenih were now at daggers drawn and urged them to ‘’stop the fight and support Monday Okpebholo of the APC who is also from Anenih’s camp” but in the APC.
He said the people of the state had started embracing the APC since the PDP was enmeshed in a factional fight for supremacy. ‘
’That is the beauty of democracy. The people now have an alternative since Okpebholo emerged in the race for the Senate to represent Edo Central.
‘’We in Esan Elite Club will support him to represent us in the Senate. We will mobilise for different candidates in different political parties. What matters now is who can represent us and not those who will represent their pockets. The game has changed,” he stated.
In an interaction with journalists yesterday in Abuja, Omonkhodion who is also the president of Esan Elite Club, said the intra-party fight had already produced two factional senatorial candidates in the party for Edo Central.
He also cautioned the people of the state to be wary of becoming victims of the fight between the Governor Godwin Obaseki and the faction loyal to Dan Orbih, saying when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.
Describing it as a consequence of greed and selfish politicking, Omonkhodion said, ‘’It was never about the people or how to develop Esanland,” adding that the only way to develop the land now was to vote for competent and selfless individuals irrespective of their political parties.
The PDP chieftain noted that all the roads and other infrastructure in Edo central senatorial district were in very deplorable condition because of selfish politicking.
In his words; “there is nowhere today in Esanland where you can drive for two minutes without bumping into gullies and potholes. All the roads are death traps except the ones leading to their private residences yet we have produced Ministers of Works.’’
‘’Esanland has also produced a Minister of Defence yet we are the only district without a military formation in the state and that is why criminals have taken over the land. Electricity supply to their houses are connected to the 33kva which gives them constant supply and at full capacity while the people are living in constant darkness.’’
He also called on Edo people to vote across party so as to stop being slaves to politicians, adding that the revolution blowing across the country will produce shocking surprises from presidency to other elective positions.
He also expressed surprise that after voting massively for Obaseki in the last gubernatorial election, the governor has so far spent the better part of his time in fighting his perceived political opponents instead of focussing on the development of the state.
‘’Because Esan people were mainly PDP, they have become the bigger casualties in the fight in the party. This is unacceptable and our people must open their arms to developments rather than to political parties. Go to Edo North and Edo South, you will understand why we need to change the narratives,’’ he added.
