A former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Edo State, General Charles Airiavbere (Rtd), has explained why the state should and must align with the party at the centre for the rapid development of the state.
Airhiavbere who contested on the platform of the PDP but lost to Adams Oshiomhole of the APC in the 2012 governorship election in the state, on Monday declared his intention to contest in next year’s gubernatorial election before the people of Oredo ward 1 of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benin City.
He explained that Edo being known as the heartbeat of the nation, cannot continue to remain in opposition to the party at the center.
Airhiavbere insisted that reclaiming Edo from the PDP back to the APC is a task that must be achieved in the coming governorship election in the state.
He said: “I have contested election in Edo State to lead Edo people to a land of prosperity, a land of safety and a land of infrastructural development and that is why, five days after I retired, 2011, I joined the party at the federal level at that time.
“I could not have just been leaving the army and I come to Edo State and face the opposition.
“I contested seven months after I retired, I contested and I won the party’s ticket of the PDP with eight other people that contested against me, seven months, because my programmes were laudable, they were clinically explained that these were the programmes I have for the Edo people.
“In 2016, I left the PDP and join the APC because that was the government at the federal level. I have always insisted that Edo State remains under the federal government because this is the heartbeat of the nation.
“How can the heartbeat be in another party and then you still say it is the heartbeat of the nation? It doesn’t work like that.
“We cannot continue like that, we must trust the government at the federal level and we must key in, that we return this state to the APC government, is a task that must be done and that is why I decided to throw in my cap into the ring
“We must be prepared. For a political party in opposition, I have experienced it. I have been in both sides be in opposition, being in government and I know what it is”, Airiavbere said.
Airiavbere said that APC as a party must field in its best candidate which he said he represents.
The retired army general dismissed the zoning formula being canvassed by some section of the state, saying:
“We hear people saying there should be zoning. You can only zone what you have. If you don’t have a daughter, you cannot give out a daughter into marriage that is why APC must present the best and the best is standing before you
credit: PM News
