- Opposition parties leverage on internal wrangling in PDP, members worried
- Obaseki is Ighodalo’s biggest liability – Anslem Ojezua
- Without rigging, LP’ll produce another governor in Edo – Party
- Five political parties’ candidates adopt APC’s Okpebholo
Exactly 19 days to the Edo State governorship election, major opposition political parties have boasted of victory, saying the alleged poor performance of incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki in his almost eight years administration in the state will be the undoing of the candidate of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, Asue Ighodalo.
According to them, the people of the state are ready to pay Obaseki in his own coin by ensuring that his anointed successor, Ighodalo, who was his chief economic adviser, does not taste the Osadebey House.
Seventeen political parties have registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission for the election, but analysts believe only three will have significant impact.
They are the People’s Democratic Party with Asue Ighodalo as its candidate, the All Progressives Congress with Senator Monday Okpebholo and the Labour Party with Barrister Olumide Akpata.
Political observers said these three major political parties were plagued with crises, which, they said, might affect their chances in the election.
They said although the three major parties faced issues, the PDP’s problems were the most pronounced and deep-rooted, beginning after winning the 2020 governorship election.
The unresolved crisis led to the factionalisation of the party in the state, with Governor Godwin Obaseki leading one faction christened “New PDP” and the party’s National Vice Chairman (South South), Chief Dan Orbih, leading the “Old PDP”.
The crisis continued unabated through the party’s primary election won by Governor Obaseki’s anointed candidate, Asue Ighodalo, and has since seen the party embroiled in turmoil.
As the crisis festers, the PDP faces resignations and anti-party activities as it prepares for the governorship election.
Many party chieftains have resigned and joined opposition parties while others who stayed back are working against the party.
“We have been waiting for the sun to shine at our doorstep in the Labour Party and God sent Olumide. So, Olumide is the sunshine that has come and victory will surely be ours. Olumide Akpata is a divine call.”
Notable resignations include members from Edo South and Edo Central senatorial districts.
Chieftains who resigned included Charles Idahosa from Uhunmwode LGA, Frank Abass Momoh Jega from Etsako East LGA; Nosa Adams from Egor LGA; Prince Abubakar Felix Isuku from Owan East LGA; Dr Flex Akhabue from Esan West LGA; former Speaker, Frank Okiye, from Esan North East LGA; Benjamin Obaseki from Oredo LGA, and Senator Mathew Urhoghide from Oredo LGA.
The APC is also dealing with the fallout from its primary election, which produced Senator Monday Okpebholo as its candidate.
Though not as intense as the PDP’s crisis, the APC’s issues included the resignation of notable chieftains like Dr Victoria Amu from Owan West LGA; Francis Inegbinoki, APC state vice chairman, from Esan Central LGA; and John Mayaki from Akoko-Edo LGA, who, although did not resign, is reportedly working against the party’s candidate.
Despite these challenges, pundits believe the APC may benefit from the PDP’s self-induced crisis, as about 95 per cent of those who resigned from the PDP have moved to the APC.
The LP is also grappling with a leadership crisis between the loyalists of its National Chairman, Julius Abure; and the state Chairman, Kelly Ogbaloi.
Abure, who hails from Edo State, appointed former Speaker, Elizabeth Ativie, as caretaker chairman after sacking the Kelly Ogbaloi-led executive.
However, the majority of the party members, including its governorship candidate, Akpata, have passed a vote of confidence in the Ogbaloi-led state executive.
Nevertheless, Governor Obaseki has been rallying critical stakeholders to support his candidate.
Analysts said Obaseki had never lost any political battle since inception, as he is said to be ready to deploy every armament at his disposal to ensure that the PDP continues to rule the state.
In an interview with The Point, the Director of Media, APC Governorship Campaign Council in Edo State, Kassim Afegbua, claimed that the people of the state had rejected Obaseki and his candidate, adding that the governor had not been able to fulfill his electoral promises.
While enumerating the negative indices against the ruling party, Afegbua said, “Governor Godwin Obaseki has been one of the developmental atrophy, if you like to call it arrested development. If you go round the entire state, the 18 local governments, you will see vestiges and very copious signs of poor performance, bad infrastructure, a prostrate economy, and a people that are largely disoriented with the government of the day. It is convenient for you to say this is a ruling party, but a ruling party that does not enjoy the support of the people and tries as much as possible to make itself relevant is not a ruling party.
“Only yesterday (Friday), they came up with Rema to come and organise a show to reeve up their support base but Edos are not fooled. Instead of you spending so much money to organise a concert for Rema, you can as well share that money among market women who are suffering, whose markets have been burnt. You promised to fix the markets, you have refused to fix them, but you want to showcase to the world that you are hosting Rema.
“Beyond the fact that he is an Edo son, Rema should know that the roads he traveled, if he had traveled by roads to the place they took him, they would see that the roads are in bad shape. Edo is rotten, infrastructure wise, the health sector is nothing to write home about. Go to the general hospital in the entire state, you will see rot. The best we can describe is where Oshiomhole left them eight years ago. He was able to renovate a lot of them, but when you don’t sustain such renovation, you are bound to see this kind of rot.”
Among other factors Afegbua listed that would work against the PDP candidate are the alleged unfulfilled electoral promises of Obaseki.
He alleged, “Obaseki, while campaigning in 2016, promised that he would build health centers in all the 18 local government headquarters. We haven’t seen one. He promised to build mini-stadia in all the 18 local government headquarters, but we have not seen one. He promised to open up Edo Aquatic lights by building Gele-Gele Pond, which rested on the platform of MoU.
“He promised to dualise Ekenwa road, down to Gele-Gele, down to Opolo where I come from and turn it into a major road for movements of vehicles and goods and services, but that project has not taken off. It is still in the realm of MoU. He promised to build an airport in Edo North where I come from, because Opolo has since become an industrial hub because of Dangote and BUA cement and other companies that exist in those areas, even the location of the airport has not been identified till today.
“He talks about ‘Edo Best’ with respect to education, we have seen ‘Edo Worst’ because even the candidates of PDP, Asue Ighodalo told the whole world on a television station that even though the government of the day of which he is an adviser has improved on the curriculum of the schools, the physical infrastructure are nothing to write home about. They stopped where Oshiomole stopped.
“In the heart of Benin, we have schools where students are sitting on bare-floor to take lessons at a time when the governor has collected up to $150 million from the World Bank, what you get on ground is an eyesore. He collected money from the Federal Government in the name of Anchor Borrowers programme to produce maize, the place has become a kidnap den. They talk of a cassava programme for an ethanol plant, we have not seen anything.”
Asked if his party could surmount the showdown of the Labour Party and the emerging Obidient movement in Edo State vis a vis the current hardship being faced by Nigerians under the administration of the APC-led Federal Government, the APC chieftain retorted, “Have you read Obi giving us alternative framework to what Tinubu is offering, in a manner that is constructive to deepen conversation around governance? No, they only complain. I want to see opposition that is constructive, that is able to give me an alternative. If Tinubu is telling us that he wants to build XYZ road, if you say no, tell me what you think he should be doing.”
“The candidate of Labour Party is from Edo South, from Benin, equity demands that power should move away from Benin to elsewhere after Obaseki eight years of dismal performance. So, we are preaching the language and we are deepening that conversation among the ordinary people in Edo because we are very alive,” he added.
Reacting to whether the poll would end in run-off, Afegbua queried, “Which run-off? We are beating PDP hands down, who is going to get you run off? We are going to beat them silly and I am not saying this because I am a member of the APC but I am saying it because the Edo people are resolved that they will punish Obaseki with their votes. Obaseki has been fighting with the monarch, the Oba of Benin kingdom; he has been trying to bulkanise the kingdom among other kings.”
However, the Labour Party said Akpata would be the second governor the party would produce in Nigeria, adding that he is the “Messiah” the people of Edo have been longing for.
The Deputy State Chairman of Labour Party, Patrick Agbontaen told The Point that the Obidient movement had been very active in the state and it would count in favour of the party’s candidate, Olumide Akpata.
He said, “Olumide Akpata is everything put together. He is intelligent, he is sound, as in initiative he is sound, by way of finances, being street wise, he is okay. He was raised in Warri, grew up in Benin. In fact, he graduated from the University of Benin.
“We have been waiting for the sun to shine at our doorstep in the Labour Party and God sent Olumide. So, Olumide is the sunshine that has come and victory will surely be ours. Olumide Akpata is a divine call. We have been on our knees begging Almighty God to come to our rescue. We said enough is enough through Obi but the evil power turned that election, they rigged the election that is public knowledge.
“For your information, Edo State is the headquarters of the Obedient Movement, Obi himself acknowledged that, so, the movement is on. We only have one governor in Abia State, Governor Alex Otti. The next one is going to be in Edo State. We are so sure because even during the primary, Akpata won with 316. The closest person got seven votes, others zero zero, just like that. And in order to tend our minds to John 3:16 which says “For God so loves the world that he sends his only begotten son…”, So, God so loves Edo State that he sends Olumide Akpata to us.”
Asserting the street credibility of Akpata, Agbontaen posited, “I have gone to villages and communities with him and people see him as their saviour, they would even want to touch his body, not minding his antecedent. He has done so well in the NBA, started good initiatives that left N1.5 billion in the NBA’s national account. And he has only been the non-SAN that has ever been NBA President. I am a lawyer too, of not equally low standing, over 20 as a lawyer, so, we are so convinced. You can see the combination, the candidate and his running mate, Yusuf Asamah Kadiri, is a SAN. Akpata is 31 years post-call, Kadiri is 30 years standing post-call and that one happens to be a double prince from Auchi.
“Talking about Edo North, he has been a philanthropist; he has sponsored a lot of people through schools. The last time we counted, they were over 15,000, and he is a Muslim and our principal is a Christian. You can see that combination. Let them think because they have one godfather in Edo North, they will be surprised, you know how our Muslim brothers think. It is unprecedented in the political annals of Edo State that a Muslim person is taken as a deputy governor.
“So, in the mosque, they have pronounced Akpata, the Hausas, Muslims essentially have pronounced Akpata. Of course, Edo South has always been for the Labour Party. I produced a senator, I produced two House of Reps. In fact, I produced one House of Assembly. We would have produced three, they rigged us out. So, the terrain is very clear. Let them be making noise, they will be surprised at what will happen on September 21, 2024.”
A chieftain of the PDP, Anselm Ojezua, told The Point that he was doubtful that the internal wrangling in the PDP would allow the party to win the Edo State Governorship election.
And on his party’s candidate, Ighodalo’s strength, Ojezua said it was his personal attributes.
He, however, noted that Ighodalo’s weakness was the platform he was standing on. According to him, it is not a united platform.
Ojezua was a governorship aspirant who contested the party’s primary before he and eight other aspirants fell out with the Edo State Governor over the emergence of Ighodalo as the party’s candidate.
He said, “Honestly, I don’t know whether the internal wrangling in the party would allow the PDP to win in Edo State.
“But I am very doubtful because there’s nothing that destroys the chances of a party than disunity. If everybody in the party is out, who will now defend the party? I am just sorry for them.”
On Ighodalo’s strength and weakness, Ojezua said, “Well, his strength is in his personal attributes – his education, his experience and all that.
“But his weakness will be the platform that he is standing on. The platform is not a united platform. That is a big problem, and the Governor who should have been his greatest asset is his biggest liability. That is a big problem, too.”
Asked to explain how the Governor had become “the biggest liability,” Ojezua said, “A political party is like a vessel with which you seek political influence. And if your vessel is not in good shape, how will it be attractive?
“If you don’t put your house in order, why would anyone come to visit you?
“If the Governor makes enemies all over the place, what it means is that those who don’t know the person he is propagating will not support that person because of the problem they have with the Governor who is sponsoring him.
“Or, have you seen a house that can be roofed when the house has a faulty foundation?
“The foundation is the key and no matter how beautiful the roof is, it will not stand if the foundation is faulty. And in this respect, the Governor is the foundation.”
Whether the LP can spring a surprise by winning the state’s election, Ojezua said that “the beneficiary of the situation” would be the APC.
Explaining why he thought it would be the APC, Ojezua said, “There is this issue of equity. A lot of people are conscious of the fact that it is time for the State to consider somebody from Edo Central.
“So, among the three major candidates, two of them are from Edo Central and one of them is from Edo South.
“The one from Edo Central that should have had the advantage is the one that has a problem with the man that is carrying him. It leaves the other guy at an advantage.”
In addition, Ojezua who said he would be surprised if the PDP wins the election because Obaseki had “mismanaged” the polity noted that the APC candidate, Okpebholo, was the sentimental favourite to win the election.
“It is easy for the elite to come up and say a candidate (referring to Okpebholo) cannot speak English.
“If you need a professor, go to the University. But in this case, the people are looking for somebody who has sentiment from the streets.
“It is, therefore, sentiment that leads to political victory, not reasonableness,” Ojezua told The Point.
Five political parties’ candidates adopt APC’s Okpebholo
“But his weakness will be the platform that he is standing on. The platform is not a united platform. That is a big problem, and the Governor who should have been his greatest asset is his biggest liability. That is a big problem, too.”
Meanwhile, the race for the September 21 governorship in Edo State assumed a new dimension on Saturday as the leadership and candidates of five political parties adopted the APC candidate for the election, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and called on their supporters to vote for the APC on the day of the election.
The political parties included the National Rescue Movement (NRM), the Alliance Peoples Movement (APM), the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Action Democratic Party (ADP).
They were received at the state Secretariat of the APC by Okpebholo; his running mate, Dennis Idahosa; the acting state chairman of the party, Jarret Tenebe; the secretary of the party, Lawrence Okah; the Director General of the Edo APC Governorship Campaign Council, Senator Matthew Uroghide and others.
Speaking on behalf of the other candidates who took turns to endorse the speech, Sam Arase of the NRM said, “Today is another beautiful day as Edo State marks 33 years of our existence, we have decided on serious decisions as we are approaching the 21st September, being the date slated for our gubernatorial election in Edo State. We, the assemblies of registered political parties in Edo State, having seen and watched carefully the campaign activities of the All Progressives Congress (APC), having listened to their manifesto, we carefully watched what the candidate has in stock for the people of Edo State; we especially took one thing into cognisance and that is when he talked about how he will take care of the bastardised educational system in the state.
“Education is very paramount in whatever you are doing; today, we are talking because we are educated; we can read and write because we are educated; he told the people of the state that all the underdeveloped schools would be developed if by His grace he becomes the governor of the state; we came back home and decided to come here today as members of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), including our candidate, Dr Dennis Osahon; the Alliance Peoples Movement (APM) candidate, Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) candidate, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate and the Action Democratic Party (ADP) candidate to work together with the APC. All our candidates, having discussed with them and the leadership of our parties, we have decided to vote en masse for the APC.
“We are calling on all our supporters across the 19 local government areas to come out on the 21st of September to cast their votes for Senator Monday Okpebholo and his running mate, Hon Dennis Idahosa,” he said.
While commending the gesture, Okpebholo in his response, said he would run an all-inclusive government and ensure that he implements every item in his manifesto.
The Deputy Director for the Asue/Ogie Campaign Management Council of the PDP, Rev Olu Martins, was not available for comments at the weekend.
The Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, said our correspondent should send his questionnaire to him. This was done, but he did not reply.
Governor Obaseki didn’t answer telephone calls.
