• Former UN Boss Tasks PDP On Strengthen Democracy
Senator Monday Okpebholo, yesterday, emerged the winner of Edo State All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) governorship primary election.
Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu, who was the Chairman of Edo APC’s shadow poll, made the declaration after collating the results from the 18 local councils’ returning officers that conducted the shadow poll in the 192 wards of the state.
The collation and declaration took place at Lushville Hotel and Suites, Gapiona Avenue, Government Reservation Area (GRA), Benin.
Okpebholo polled 12,433 votes to defeat the representative of Ovia constituency in the House of Representatives, Dennis Idahosa, who scored 6,541 votes.
Meanwhile, a former United Nations Undersecretary General, who was also a onetime Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Martin IhoeghianUhomoibhi, said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) just concluded Edo gubernatorial party primary is not perfect, adding that there must be room for improvement in the selection process of candidate.
Uhomoibhi said: “In our political selection process, we should take into cognisance the excellence, experience, background and integrity of whoever we are entrusting with the leadership of our dear state.
“We are at the bottom of the ladder today, because in the selection process of who leads our state, we do not focus on those that have the ability and capability to change our narrative.”
He, however, pledged to work with his party, the PDP, and the governorship candidate as a loyal and committed party man.
Uhomoibhi, an outstanding former Nigeria Ambassador of great repute and integrity, is the longest serving Permanent Secretary in the history of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a one-time Under Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), in Dafur-Sudan, who was also the President of the United Nations Human Right Council (UNHRC), and at same period, the President of the World Intelectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
