Former Edo State Governor, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, has joined the race to become the next governor of the state. He says he is not too old to run for office, 16 years after he was removed by a court order.
A Comeback Bid
Osunbor, 72, is seeking the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the governorship election later this year. He faces stiff competition from other aspirants, including the incumbent governor, Godwin Obaseki.
On Thursday, he paid N50m to obtain the Expression of Interest and Nomination form from the party secretariat in Abuja. He told reporters that he was confident of his chances and that age was not a factor.
“If you see any of them (critics), tell them to come out and challenge me to a race and see if I don’t meet up. It is about how healthy you are. There should also be an emphasis on good governance,” he said.
He added that he had no unfinished business in the State House and that he wanted to return to improve the lives of the people of Edo.
A Controversial Past
Osunbor won the Edo governorship election in 2007 under the platform of the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). However, his rival, Adams Oshiomhole, of the Action Congress (AC), challenged his victory.
In 2008, the Court of Appeal annulled Osunbor’s election and declared Oshiomhole as the rightful winner. The court said that Osunbor had unlawfully won the election and that vote-rigging, ballot-stuffing, and intimidation of the opposition had marred it.
Osunbor later defected to the APC and became an ally of Oshiomhole, who is now the national chairman of the party. In addition, he denied any bad blood between them and said Oshiomhole was the leader of the party in the state.
Osunbor is one of the many aspirants who are vying for the APC ticket in Edo. A crisis is rocking the party in the state, as some members oppose the re-election bid of Obaseki, who they accuse of sidelining them.
The party has set up a screening committee to vet the aspirants and ensure a free and fair primary election. The committee is expected to submit its report on June 10, while the primary election is scheduled for June 22.
The winner of the primary election will face the candidate of the PDP and other parties in the governorship election slated for September 19.
Also, the people of Edo are eager to see who will emerge as their next governor and what they will offer them in terms of development, security, and welfare.
Source: Punch
