By DADA AYOKHAI
A former Edo APC governorship aspirant, Dr. Earnest Afolabi, was conspicuously absent at the recent inauguration of the Edo APC Campaign Council in Benin chaired by Governor Monday Okpebholo.
Dr. Afolabi, who hails from the Owan axis of Edo North, was listed as a member of the Finance Committee Directorate chaired by the State Deputy Chairman of the party.
A retired Federal Permanent Secretary, Dr. Afolabi had, after his loss at the party primaries, continued to support the party to actualize the aspiration of the then candidate, Monday Okpebholo, to emerge as governor.
During the campaign, he served as a member of the finance committee set up to raise funds for the party, and in his private capacity, he reportedly worked hard to deliver his constituency.
After the election, many expected that he would be rewarded with a plum office by the governor. Instead, he was saddled with another responsibility – to head an ad-hoc committee to examine the finances of councils under the last administration.
The attempt by concerned Owan people to have him represent Owan federal Constituency at the National Assembly was also rejected by the party.
It was shocking to many to see his name again in the party’s campaign committee without any reward system for those who sacrificed time and resources.
According to many Owan people, the APC has not been fair to Afolabi in any manner.
