By DADA AYOKHAI
The All Progressives Congress (APC) members in the Owan West local government area are deeply concerned about the party’s potential poor performance in the upcoming September Edo governorship election.
They are troubled by the apparent lack of serious commitment and the attitude of indifference displayed by Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, a prominent figure in the party.
Prof. Ihonvbere, a former Edo State Secretary to the Government (SSG) and a two-term member of the House of Representatives is currently the Majority Leader of the House and leader of the APC in the Owan axis of the Edo North district
Speaking anonymously to Borderline News 24, some high-ranking APC members in the area expressed apprehension regarding the lack of effective leadership and the party’s inadequate preparations for the upcoming election.
They revealed that while the ruling PDP, led by the Speaker of the state assembly, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku has been rallying support and gaining momentum, the APC appears to be in a state of dormancy.
The party members emphasized that Prof. Ihonbvere’s apparent disengagement and lack of direction have contributed to the APC’s loss of Owan West local government to the PDP in the past state assembly election.
They further complained that they are deeply dissatisfied with his leadership and are calling for urgent and proactive measures to revitalize the party’s prospects in the upcoming election.
In the past two months, Borderline News 24 has learned from reliable party sources that the PDP has been actively engaging the Owan people in a series of programs in preparation for the upcoming election. Meanwhile, there seems to be little to no activity happening within the opposition party.
This state of anomie may have prompted the Owan West APC to voice their concerns before this trend becomes detrimental to the party’s prospects.
The Owan West PDP has been consistently executing compelling campaign activities to secure a decisive victory for the party and its candidate in the upcoming election. In contrast, the opposition APC has been noticeably quiet, failing to effectively challenge the ruling party.
The Speaker and other Owan West PDP leaders have been actively consulting with key stakeholders, demonstrating their commitment to winning the election. This, in contrast to the lack of proactive engagement from the opposition party.
The expression by the Owan West APC members may well signify a vote of no confidence in the erudite scholar who appears to be struggling to navigate Owan’s political landscape.