Edo 2024: Onaiwu may emerge PDP’s consensus candidate — Source
By Elvis Omoregie, Benin
Ahead of this year gubernatorial election in Edo State, strong indications have emerged that leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo are pushing for a consensus candidate to fly the party ticket in other to avoid the mistake of last year general election in the State in which the party suffered its worst defeat since 1999 when the party was formed.
Investigation showed that the party leadership and stakeholders who hold the party to their chest are committed to avoid a repeat of the abysmal show in the last year general election and have vowed that they will go for a consensus candidate who was not caught in the middle of the crisis which engulfed the party that cost the party the fortune in the election when the aggrieved party members and supporters voted for the opposition party in the State.
A very dependable and credible source who confided in journalists indicated that leaders, opinion builders and other stakeholders are meeting to fine tune the arrangement that will see to the emergence of a credible candidate to fly the party flag.
According to the source, one person the party is looking up to that can fit into the shoe and possesses the credentials and capacity to deliver and ensure victory for the party is one, Dr Osaro Onaiwu, the immediate past Director General of PDP Governors Forum and who has been a founding member of the party.
The source who pleaded not to be mentioned because he does not have the mandate to speak on the issue as the leaders are still meeting said that what is standing in for Osaro Onaiwu is the fact that he has been very neutral in the crisis that rocked the party to it’s foundation, which cost the party great fortune.
Speaking further, he said Onaiwu has been a unifying factor whose influence cuts across the major political party and will be easy to sell to the electorates and party members.
The source who was privy to some discussions further stated that the person in question is an original home boy who was born in Benin, school in Benin and married to a Benin woman who understands the cultural and traditional values of the State.
“He was born of Benin parents and has been a very disciplined and committed member of the party since 1999 till date. Apart from being a party member, the person in question has the capacity to deliver the much needed dividends of democracy and ability to carry the people along, unlike what the people have been experiencing over the last seven years. Osaro Onaiwu played a major role in the 2019 and 2023 presidential campaigns of the PDP.
“Edo people have suffered neglect in the last seven years and are not ready to go through it again, hence the opposition to the Governor’s preferred candidate whom they describe as a total stranger to the party and does not even know anything about party politics and lacked leadership qualities,” he said.
The source hinted that there will be a high wire meeting early in the week to conclude the matter.
