In order to pacify aggrieved candidates who lost in the recently concluded primaries of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), in Edo State, the governor, Adams Oshiomhole, will reportedly appoint them to replace a few caretaker committee chair persons inaugurated in October last year to oversee the affairs of the 18 local government councils. According to reports, this has generated much tension and anxiety in the local government areas as no one is sure who will be dropped or retained. It was also gathered that the governor had decided to cede some of these councils to some of the unsuccessful candidates to settle disagreements generated during and after the primaries which almost decimated the party, particularly in Edo Central senatorial district.
Matthew Uroghide, who contested for the Edo South senatorial district, and had appeared most favoured to clinch the ticket, is reportedly one such aggrieved candidate. He lost to the incumbent senator representing the senatorial district at the National Assembly, Ehigie Uzamere, in what many described as controversial.
Just last week, Mr. Uroghide announced the withdrawal of his membership from the ACN, just as it was widely speculated that he would announce his defection to PDP in a matter of weeks. However, it has been gathered that the ACN’s move, which is aimed at stopping aggrieved candidates from leaving the party, could boomerang, as some of them may end up using the councils they now control against the ACN during the elections. At the time of filing this report, it was gathered that members of the state House of Assembly were already wading into the matter. They reportedly argued that the caretaker committee chair persons were the grassroots mobilisers for the party, and changing them now could be counterproductive.
