Senator Francis Alimikhena
By Our Reporter
The move by Senator representing Edo North in the Senate, Francis Alimikhena, to secure a third term bid has run into a storm as his APC Ward 3 in Etsako East Local Government Area has rejected his bid.
The decision to reject Senator Alimikhena’s third term bid was taken at an enlarged ward meeting held on Sunday, February 20, 2022 at Iviukwe.
Conversely, at the same meeting, the ward passed a vote of confidence in the Local Government APC party executive committee led by Peter Okponokhe.
The ward’s decision was consequent upon the attendance of Alimikhena’s support group at the meeting. The support group said it was at the meeting to present Alimikhena’s proposal to seek for the party’s ticket for a record third term in the Senate.
After briefing the meeting, the senator’s support group was politely told that nobody had ever been given the opportunity of representing the people in the senate for more than two terms.
The meeting pointedly told the group to take the message back to the senator that the ward would not support his third term bid.
The ward leaders said that Senator Alimikhena should be grateful to the people and God that he is successfully rounding off his second term in the Senate.
The meeting resolved that the ward would not be pushed into becoming a clog in the wheel of political accommodation, inclusiveness and participation by other parts of the senatorial district who are also rightfully entitled to also represent the zone in the Senate.
While the ward expressed its gratitude to all members that supported the senator’s successful two terms in the upper chambers of the National Assembly, the meeting passed a resolution to vehemently resist any attempt to foist him (Senator Alimikhena) on the ward for a third term.
Speaking at the meeting, the Chairman of the APC in Ward 3, Mallam Abass Kanabe thanked Alimikhena’s supporters for coming to sound the ward out on the senators’ proposed third term bid.
Kanabe said that it was an indication that he had recognized the Executive Committee (Exco) as properly constituted.
He stated that Senator Alimikhena’s third term bid was unnecessary and he should not proceed with the plan.
Kanabe advised that instead of asking for another term, the senator should now sit back to build and provide leadership for the party.
He said that the ward Exco was ready to join hands with other critical stakeholders to source for and present a capable candidate for the 2023 senatorial election.
The Ward Party Chairman commended the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba and other leaders of the Party in the ward including Mr Sunny Akiotu Ekpetika, Felix Akhamokhior, and Frank Omoh among others, for their unflinching contributions towards the unity, development and progress of the party in the area.
In his remarks, a leader of the Party in the Ward and former Deputy Speaker of Etsako East Legislative Arm, Hon. Felix Akhamieokhor Oghenaluamhe, urged the Senator to forget about his third term bid and show gratitude to the Party for giving him the platform to achieve his long-desired dream of becoming a Senator after several failed attempts on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The former Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Arm said that Senator Alimikhena should take a bow and leave the stage honourably to earn the respect of all.
