By Ndubuisi Orji
NO fewer than 20 aspirants have declared interest to succeed Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as the governor of Edo State. Oshiomhole’s second and last tenure as governor would elapse on November 11, this year, while the governorship election is scheduled for September 10.
Daily Sun findings showed that out of the 20 aspirants, 14 are seeking to contest the election on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC), four on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), while the United Progressives Party(UPP) and the Social Democratic Party(SDP) have one aspirant each.
The APC aspirants include the state deputy governor, Pius Odubu; PDP gubernatorial candidate in the 2012 general election, Major General Charles Airhiavbere, former Minster of Works, Chris Ogiemwonyi and former governor of the state, Professor Osarheimen Osunbor. Others are chairman of State Economic team, Godwin Obaseki and an educationist and two time governorship aspirant, Kenneth Imasauagbon.
Others are Messrs Austin Emuan, Don Pedro Obaseki, Omon-Irabor Casely, Chris Iyare, Prof. Ebegue Amadasun, Blessing Agbomhere, and the only woman among them, Tina Agbara.
Those in the PDP are former Secretary to the State Government(SSG), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu; former All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) gubernatorial candidate in the 2012 governorship election in the state, Chief Solomom Edebiri, former Majority leader of the state House of Assembly and former commissioner, Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) and Head of secretariat of the PDP Governors Forum, Mr Osaro Onaiwu.
Also, a musician, Adviser Nowamagbe and journalist, Mr Idumonza Isedehomhen are the sole aspirants in UPP and SDP respectively.