Internal democracy within political parties in Edo State is currently a contentious issue, causing significant discontent among party members. This unrest is primarily driven by the perceived lack of transparency and democratic processes in selecting candidates, leading to concerns that more members may leave their parties or work against their party’s governorship candidates in future elections.
In a recent interview on Arise TV, APC chieftain Emmanuel Odigie highlighted these issues, expressing his concerns about the state of internal democracy within his party. He attributed the growing dissatisfaction to the failure to adopt transparent and inclusive methods in candidate selection, which he sees as the root cause of the current unrest.
He acknowledged the challenging economic conditions under President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s administration but defended the President’s leadership. Despite defending the federal government’s leadership, Odigie admitted that the Edo people are not happy with the current situation. These economic hardships contribute to the overall discontent within the state.
Odigie contrasted this with the state government’s efforts, noting that local initiatives have found more favor among the populace. “Coming to the state, are the workers happy with the N70,000 minimum wage by Godwin Obaseki, the answer is yes. Are the teachers happy with the 80% increments? They are.” These positive steps at the state level stand in stark contrast to the issues at the federal level, according to Odigie.
He emphasized that the APC has significant work to do to address the lack of internal democracy. He pointed out that resolving this foundational problem is essential for the party to regain the trust and support of its members and the broader electrate in Edo State.
The current dissatisfaction within the party highlights the urgent need for more transparent and democratic processes in candidate selection to ensure a more unified and effective political organization.
Hear him: “President Ahmed Tinubu just came onboard. So what is happening today is not he’s making. I’m sure Nigeria would have gone down beyond where it is today. It would have been Venezuela if not for the courageous leadership of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu. But are the Edo people happy with the federal government, the answer is no. The cost of living is high, that is true. Fuel is selling for N850, that is true.
The exchange rate is not helping matter, that is true. Coming to the state, and the workers happy with the N70,000 minimum wage by Godwin Obaseki, the answer is yes. Are the teachers happy with the 80% increments? They are. So APC has a lot of work to do. The foundation of this problem is lack of internal democracy…..Discover MoreÂ
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