Ahead of this Saturday’s All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Primary in Edo State, one of the leading candidates for the top post, Dr Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe at the weekend received a clean bill to contest.
Dr Umakhihe whose “Fresh Hope Agenda” manifesto outlines clearly his vision to turn around Edo State, was issued the Certificate of Screening Clearance on Saturday at the party Secretariat in Abuja.
He is one of the 12 candidates screened and cleared out of the initial 29 aspirants to contest the party primary on Saturday, February 17, 2023.
The winner of the primary ticket is to fly the APC flag for the September gubernatorial poll in Edo State to succeed incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki at the Government House on Dennis Osadebey Avenue in Benin City in November.
The Prof. Taoheed Abdul Adedoja-led seven-man committee on Friday night, after a two-day screening exercise, gave all the 12 aspirants a clean bill to contest next Saturday party’s primary.
APC’s National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Sulaiman Muhammadu Argungu confirmed the outcome of the screening in Abuja in a statement issued in the early hours of Saturday.
The statement reads: “The Edo State Gubernatorial Aspirants Screening Committee has screened and cleared all 12 aspirants who physically presented themselves to be screened by the party’s screening committee.
“All the 12 aspirants who purchased the Expression of Interest Forms and Nomination Forms were screened by the screening committee over two days between Thursday 8th February 2024 and Friday 9th February 2024.”
While receiving his clearance certificate from Alhaji Argungu at the APC secretariat on Saturday, Dr. Umakhihe beamed with confidence of a man with a mission to rescue Edo State from its present state of insecurity and infrastructural decay.
Dr Umakhihe in his speech maintained that he’s the most qualified for the job having distinguished himself in a public service career that tested his capacity as an unblemished administrator of note. He retired as a federal permanent secretary.
With a distinguished career that cuts across agriculture, finance, foreign service and sports, he insisted that he knows and have what it takes to make Edo State the El Dorado of Nigeria.
The other aspirants cleared by the APC include Former Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba; Senator Monday Okpebholo, who represents Edo Central; former Deputy Governor, Hon. Lucky Imasuen; member representing Etsako Federal Constituency, Hon. Anamero Sunday Dekeri; former APC governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and Engr. Gideon Ikhine
Also given the go ahead are: the immediate past Edo APC Chairman, Col. David Imuse (rtd); former Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Major. General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd); former Governor Oserheimen Osunbor; former Zonal Organising Secretary (South-South), Dr. Blessing Agbonmere; and member representing Ovia South-West/Ovia North-East Federal Constituency, Hon. Dennis Idahosa.