All seems not to be well with the Akoko Edo local government area of the Edo State branch of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as top leaders of the party are presently at daggers drawn over the choice of commissioner nominee from the local council.

A top leader of the party who would not want his name in print disclosed that while a former top lawmaker from the local council wants his name to be forwarded as the commissioner nominee to Governor Godwin Obaseki for approval, other leaders from the area are virulently against him.

The source explained that the other leaders of the party are against the former top legislator because they felt that at his level, being a commissioner will belittle his former position.

Besides, the source added that with 2023 just around the corner, it is an open political secret that the former lawmaker wants to take a shot at the Akoko Edo Federal Constituency, a position which is currently occupied by an ex-unionist, Comrade Peter Akpatason of the rival All Progressives Congress (APC).

He added that during a recent heated meeting when the issue of the commissioner nominee for Akoko Edo came up at the council headquarters at Igarra, the former lawmaker was told to choose between the commissioner position and contesting on PDP ticket in 2023.

He said: “The leaders were very unequivocal. They told him that having been a long time lawmaker, it is not proper to accept the position of a commissioner. He was told that it’s a position for the boys who are supposed to always stand up for the governor.

“When he became adamant, we gave him a choice: choose between being a commissioner and seeking the ticket of the PDP for the House of Representatives election in 2023.”

While Governor Obaseki is yet to constitute the state executive council, almost one year after he was sworn in for a second term on November 9 last year, the source insisted that PDP leaders in Akoko Edo were determined to checkmate the overbearing ways of the ex-lawmaker, adding:

“He cannot have it all. We are all stakeholders and have made our position known to him. The ex-legislator should make a choice. We made it clear to him that he is above the position of commissioner but should he chose to be, he should forget the PDP’s ticket for the House of Representatives in 2023. He cannot eat his cake and still be demanding for it.”

(Nigerian Tribune)

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