BEVERLY HILLS, June 24, (THEWILL) – The leadership of the Edo Civil Society Organizations (EDOCSO), an umbrella body of Civil Society groups in Edo State has distanced itself from the threat of a lawsuit against Ken Imasuagbon if he drops his gubernatorial ambition for the emergence of Godwin Obaseki.
An earlier report by the Vanguard newspaper says, a coalition of civil society groups had threatened a two billion naira suit against the governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, if he bows to pressure to withdraw from the governorship race ahead of tomorrow’s governorship primary.
The Coordinator of the civil society groups, Engr. Iyamu Nosakhare, was reported to have said they (Civil Society Groups) would stage a million-man protest against Imasuagbon to frustrate any of his future political ambition if he steps down for Godwin Obaseki.
Nosakhare said they have carried out a house-to-house campaign for Imasuagbon as well as talked to many PDP delegates on the need to vote for him.
His words, “We have so much trust on Imasuagbon because of his antecedent. We have been selling him to PDP delegates and Edo people at large”.
Reacting to the report, the Public Relations Officer, Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOCSO), Comrade Osazee Edigin denied knowledge of existence of any group or anyone known as Engr. Nosakhare Iyamu.
“We don’t know him. There is no such name as Coalition of Civil Society Groups in Edo State. We in Edo Civil Society are non partisan”, Comrade Edigin maintained
In same manner, the Coordinator General of EDOCSO, comrade Omobude Agho also affirmed the non-existence of Engr. Nosakhare Iyamu and his organization.
On his part, the Edo State Director of Administration, Conference of Non Governmental Organizations (CONGOs), Bartholomew Okoudo, described the group as faceless.
“It’s not a collective agreement of Edo CSOs.
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They are a group of self-serving individuals who are out to unnecessarily heat up the system. They are pursuing Imasuagbon’s agenda”
Asked if Obaseki will eventually pick the PDP ticket for the Guber poll in September, Comrade Bartholomew said: “That is the general wish of the majority of Edo people. We will congratulate him”.
Obaseki and some leaders of the PDP have been meeting to persuade other aspirants to step down for him and this paid off when Gideon Ikhine on Monday announced his withdrawal and backed Obaseki.
This afternoon, a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt struck out a suit seeking to bar Obaseki from the party’s primary on Thursday.
The Court took the decision after parties to the suit agreed out-of-court settlement and withdrew the matter, which was before Justice E. O Obile.
Ogbeide Ighama has approached the court to restrain Obaseki from participating in Thursday’s PDP guber primary.
