As political parties gear up for the upcoming September 21 governorship election in Edo State, the African Action Congress (AAC) candidate, Dr. Oberaifo Udoh, has announced his running mate as Sir Lord Osunde, a former gubernatorial aspirant from the Labour Party.
Reports indicate that AAC has also welcomed a significant number of defectors from the Labour Party, including members of the Obidient Movement and relatives of the party’s running mate.
Gabriel Erhahon, the state party chairman, officially presented the party flag to the deputy governorship candidate and the defectors, commending them for their bold decision to leave their former party and join the AAC.
He clarified that the AAC stands out form other political parties due to its commitment to elevating the state to greater heights and prioritizing the empowerment of women and youth.
Earlier, Osunde, the deputy governorship candidate of the party, representing the defectors, highlighted their decision to leave the Labour Party and the Obidient Movement in favor of the AAC, citing the party’s manifesto centered on human welfare.
Osunde, who emphasized his role as a pioneer leader of the Edo Obidient Movement, responsible for organizing the inaugural “two million Obidient movement walk” in the state, explained that his decision to join the AAC was motivated by its superior ideology
He also revealed that the LP failed to adhere to due process during its gubernatorial primary election .
”While we were in Labour Party, the party preaches freedom, corrupt free society, youth empowerment and merit in all ramifications but along the line, no governorship primary election was really held by the party. If there was it was not democratic.”
”Due process was not followed during the primary election, and after that, they don’t even care about your feelings. For the aggrieved ones, nobody did anything to address their concerns.”
”I was one of the aspirants for the governorship position but because it was already clear that the process have been hijacjed tonfavour a particular aspirant, I decided not to pick expression of interest and nomination forms.”
“I see AAC and notice that it has the same and better ideology than Labour Party. I have been following up ever since. That is why I joined. I left LP and refused to go ahead with the competition to vie for its governorship ticket,” he said.
In his address, Dr. Udoh Oberaifo, the AAC gubernatorial candidate, emphasized that the party offers a viable alternative to rescue both Wdo State and its residents from the political, social, and economic challenges they currently face.
Udoh express his belief that Edo State has endured successive administrations under the PDP and APC without witnessing substantial progress. He pointed to pervasive poverty stemming from flawed economic policies, deyeriotong infrastructure, and escalating insecurity as issues that neither the APC nor the PDP has effectively tackled. These shortcomings, according to Udoh, have fueled the desire among the populace for an alternative political platform.