Edo 2016: I’ll dethrone APC if given party ticket, says PDP aspirant

An Edo State governorship aspirant under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, has promised to run a women-friendly administration, if given the party’s ticket, adding that it was about time for the  party to decide if it wants to remain in opposition or take over government from the All Progressives Congress-led government.
Iduoriyekemwen, a one-time state law-maker and Commissioner representing the state at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), made the promise. on Tuesday, when he presented himself to members of the PDP in Edo South Senatorial District in Benin City.
He urged members of the party to eschew sentiment in the selection of its flag-bearer from amongst the aspirants contesting the party ticket, and that they must look for someone who would win election for the party.
“We have been in the opposition for the past eight years. Therefore, this is the time to think whether we want to remain in opposition or not. If the answer is no, it means we all have to take the right decision without sentiment and bias.
“What we need is not just a governorship candidate, but to win the election. In doing so, it means we must takeover. And in doing that, we must make sure we put our best man forward for the job. If we put the wrong man, there will be no PDP after the election”, Iduoriyekemwen stressed.
According to him, the right candidate should be one who had the ability to win election all round in whichever way the opposition wanted it, and one who can stand tall to withstand them.
He said: “The only person who can dominate the election is the man standing before you now. I have been in the party since 1998 and had remained in it.

“The other aspirants have changed parties severally before coming back to the PDP. Therefore, I urge you to vote for a true party man which I am; the one you can trust. So you must not make the mistake of the past when we threw up a candidate, because of sentiment and today, that same candidate is in the APC as one of the aspirants.

“You need one that will recognise all the sacrifices that you have made. Those who left the PDP did so because they felt wasn’t their home. They were in it because of what they wanted to gain, and when they failed, they left as all of you can see”.

On his pedigree, Iduoriyekemwen said he was behind the  establishment of Edo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (EDSOPADEC), which up till date, manages the 13 percent oil derivation accruing to the state.

With this, he said, “there was no single local government in the state where you don’t have the footprints of the agency when I was there.”

He promised that he would not be one of those who had the knack to divert funds meant for development for personal use, but one that would being development to them.