Former national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has declared his intention to run for the Edo North senatorial race on the platform of the ruling party.
Mr Oshiomhole, a former Edo governor, who made the declaration on Monday at an enlarged APC meeting held in his country home, Iyamoh, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo, said he took the decision after due consultations.
“Many people have been asking me if I will run for the Senate, but I pleaded with them to wait until our national convention when I would have made up my mind,” the former APC chairman said. “Now that the APC convention is over and we now have a new National Working Committee, I have decided to contest for the Senate come 2023.”
Mr Oshiomhole said he is in the race to provide purposeful leadership for the people of his district, noting that the senate should not be seen as sabbatical leave for ex-governors.
“My intention to vie for the senatorial seat is to ensure that the voice of Afemai land is heard and my concept of empowerment will be modified not just giving Keke NAPEP, generator or motocycle.
“We should be thinking of how we can bring infrastructure development to our people,” he said.
The former governor said he will meet the incumbent lawmaker representing the senatorial district, Francis Alimikhena, who has expressed intention to recontest again, to get him to step down.
“You all know how the incumbent became the candidate for Edo North senatorial district, he was denied the PDP ticket, and we allowed him to fly our party’s flag, which he had used twice to represent us,” he recalled.
“We voted for him twice and there is nothing wrong in him voting for me in return.
“I will personally meet with him because I want us to still keep the Afemai unity together and I think he will be the Director General for my campaign team for the election.
“So, I have resolved to contest and I am sure to get the ticket and become the candidate to represent Edo North senatorial district come 2023,” he said.
