Edo 2024: Group urges parties to nominate candidates from Central Zone
A coalition of concerned Edo citizens has urged all the political parties participating in the state 2024 governorship election to field their candidates from the Central Senatorial District of the state.
The group, under the aegis of Edo Legacy Forum, made the call in a statement by its spokesperson, Osigwe Momoh, in Abuja on Thursday.
Momoh said that fairness demanded that all the political parties prioritise candidates from the district.
He urged all Edo citizens to stand on the path of justice and fairness in the next elections, adding that any attempt to deny Edo Central the governorship ticket should be rejected by everyone with conscience.
He said that since the current governor was from the Edo-South and his deputy from the North, as well as the immediate past governor from the North and his deputy from the South, social justice and equity demand that the next candidate be from the Central.
Momoh urged all fair-minded, traditional, religious, and political leaders to use the 2024 election to correct the injustice whereby the Edo-Central has not had the chance to produce a full-time governor or deputy since 1999 till date.
He said that it behoved the good people of Edo to show the nation the true meaning of ‘democracy and social justice’ as contemplated by Sec. 14(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
He said that after 24 years of waiting, it would be a slight on every Esan man and woman if they were zoned to the deputy governor position of the state instead of the governorship seat.
He also urged all Esan people to reject tokenism that could make them accept being running mates with other candidates.
He, however, advised the people of Esan Land to present their best for the governorship position in the state to silence the “naysayers and cynics," who are currently propagating disinformation that Edo Central currently lacks any candidate with political class or might.
Momoh challenged the naysayers to show any contender who has a better political profile, pedigree, experience, and charisma than the former Minister of Works, Dr. Mike Onolomemen.
He added that Esan also had several other worthy sons and daughters who had distinguished themselves in the public and private sectors and were capable of piloting the affairs of the state.
