THE Senatorial district is made up of Owan East, Owan West, Etsako East, Etsako West (where Oshiomhole hails from), Etsako Central and Akoko Edo.
The party stalwarts made this known in a communique signed by 24 executives members across the district after their meeting in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state on Monday and made available to newsmen in Benin on Tuesday.
The communique had Francis Ozoya (Youth Leader Ward 3, Owan-East), Onaivi Alabi(Auditor, Ward 1, Akoko-Edo), William Patrick (Asst. Secretary Ward 8, Akoko-Edo) and Chief Lucky Agbu (Chairman Ward 3 Etsako-East), as some of the signatories.
They said that the alleged endorsement was the figment of imagination of some party leaders in the zone.
They further stated that what is being described as endorsement was only a response to an invitation to the 70th birthday anniversary of Oshiomhole by party faithful across the district and nothing more.
The communique read in part, “We disassociate ourselves from the purported endorsement of the former Governor of the State, Adams Oshiomhole for senate.
“The only significant thing that could be likened to an endorsement at the event was a motion to zone the senator seat to Etsako West which was resisted by some of the executives present at the occasion.
“The argument was that you can’t move the senate from Etsako East to West, what about the Owan that last had it between 2007 and 2011while also Akoko-Edo last had it between 2011 to 2015.
“Efforts to challenge the declaration were met with brutality on some party executives, including Mrs Oikelomen Alice (Owan West LGA Woman Leader).
“If what happened at Iyamoh is what has been turned into an endorsement of Oshiomhole for senate in 2023, then we are surprised.
“It would be undemocratic for Oshiomhole to fall for these shenanigans because it is the turn of Owan to get the senate seat if at all it will be taken away from the present occupant, Francis Alimikhena from Etsako East.”
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