The number of aspirants seeking to fill the vacant Etsako Federal Constituency seat has swelled as Edo State is now awash with the posters of Cyril Oshiomhole, the first son of the immediate past governor of the state, Adams Oshiomhole.
The seat became vacant after Philip Shaibu, former occupant, was elected deputy governor of the state last September.
Since the swearing of the Mr. Shaibu as deputy governor, a number of heavy weights in the Edo State politics, particularly in the Etsako area, comprising three local governments, have indicated their interest to run for the office.
NE learnt that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state had earlier informed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of the vacancy, but no schedule has been made for the conduct of the election into the office.
Other APC aspirants include Johnson Oghuma, former member of the state assembly; Blessing Agbomhere, former governorship aspirant; John Akhigbe, former executive director, protocol under Mr. Oshiomhole; Waziri Erameh, Professor of Opthamology, University of Benin; Luqman Mohammed, former member of the state assembly; and Joseph Ugheoke, former commissioner for lands and survey.
Donald Oboh, also a former commissioner for lands and survey, is aspiring on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
Cyril’s posters were seen pasted in strategic locations in Auchi and other major communities in Etsako East, Central and West Local Government Areas.
The posters have also been extended to Benin City, specifically in front of Denis Osadebe Government House as well as the state secretariat of the APC.
The Chairman of the APC in the state, Anslem Ojezua, said on Sunday that the party was yet to invite aspirants to pick forms to indicate their interest in the office.
“We have to notify INEC for the vacancy and that we have done; but INEC is yet to give us a timetable for the election,” he said.
“We cannot begin to speak on who is interested right now because we have not even invited anybody to collect forms to indicate interest in the office.”
Mr. Ojezua also could not confirm if the former governor’s son had joined the race, saying unless Cyril himself, announces his intention, it would be difficult to ascertain whether he had joined race.
“Even with posters, you cannot tell if he is the one that owns the posters,” he said. Mischief makers could be pushing the posters out.”
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