Is history about to repeat itself as 17 candidates file out September 21, 2024, to jostle for the seat of the outgoing governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki whose tenure expires November 11? As it happened in 2020 when Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Osagie Ize-Iyamu was pitched against the incumbent governor who then sought a second term in office, a familiar pattern and scenario seemed to be emerging as campaigns reach fever pitch......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
It was a different ball game in 2016 when Obaseki and his political benefactor, Adams Oshiomhole, enjoyed a sizzling romance, and he was obsessed with handing over power to his handpicked successor who would “build on the foundation” he had laid. In selling Obaseki to the electorate, Oshiomhole said he was the “engine room” and “brain box” of his administration, who was responsible for the successes of his economic policies and boost in internally generated revenue which guaranteed prompt payment of salaries and pensions.
Oshiomhole demonised Ize-Iyamu, then the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. He described him as “a fake Pastor”, “a liar”, and “cultist” who, as a student at the University of Benin, bathed a fellow student with acid and was rusticated. He said Edo people could not afford to vote for a candidate with questionable credentials, and inglorious antecedents.
But in 2020, the music changed. Things had fallen apart between the Obaseki and Oshiomhole. Obaseki was denied a return ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress, and it was handed over to Ize-Iyamu, a new entrant, on a platter, in controversial circumstances. Then, the lyrics of electioneering changed from erstwhile love song to tirades and invectives.
Oshiomhole not only made a dramatic volte face to renounce what he said about Ize-Iyamu, he went about kneeling to beg Edo people for his error of judgement in imposing Obaseki on them. Suddenly, by Oshiomhole’s abracadabra, a villain, once upon a time, became a saint, and the erstwhile saint had morphed into the devil incarnate.
But Edo people were not fooled. Ize-Iyamu lost, predictably, and Obaseki triumphed gloriously. Political watchers blamed Oshiomhole for Ize-Iyamu’s defeat. Many believed he easily won the election in 2016 but was swindled of victory by federal might. Not a few believed that in 2020, sympathy votes in protest of Oshiomhole’s shenanigans and double-speak, gave Obaseki the victory.
The outcome, to discerning minds, was a test of Oshiomhole’s credibility, character and acceptance. They saw in him a perplexing contradiction to the godfatherism he fought in late Chief Tony Anenih, whose larger-than-life political stature he heroically demystified, and voted against his candidate.
Intriguingly, Oshiomhole is at it again as Edo seeks a replacement for Obaseki. Undisputably, it’s more of a two-horse race than three. The front-runners are PDP’s Asue Ighodalo, perceived as Obaseki’s lapdog by the manner of his emergence as candidate; and Senator Monday Okpebholo, the pitiable APC candidate, backed by Oshiomhole. Truth be told, Labour Party’s, Olumide Akpata, is more of a spoiler than a strong contender for the office because of the senatorial zone – Edo South – that he hails from. Not many are looking in his direction because that zone has had more than its fair share in leading the state. They see him as a candidate for the future just testing the political waters because there seems to be a consensus that this time around, it is the turn of Esan people of Edo Central senatorial district.
Though both Ighodalo and Okpebholo come with their different baggage as candidates from the favoured zone, for the latter, the optics don’t look good at all. Oshiomhole’s irritating flippancy, pettiness, and abrasiveness seem to be spoiling things the more for Okpebholo who the butt of jokes has been, for his perceived poor communication skills such that he is believed to be evading media scrutiny. At campaign rallies, his voice is drowned by that of Oshiomhole.
But Oshiomhole making himself the face of the campaign is not novel. Making a political capital of this by the opposition, political observers say, smacks of deliberate mischief and selective amnesia. In 2016, it was the same umbrage by the opposition against Oshiomhole for taking the centre stage at campaigns.
Recall that Ize-Iyamu, then candidate of the PDP, had in his congratulatory message to Obaseki for clinching the APC ticket, expressed surprise that a week after his emergence, it was interesting to note that Oshiomhole, “still speaks as though he is the candidate running for elections. Is Godwin Obaseki not a grown man? Why can’t he begin to speak for himself …?” And that trend continued until the end of campaigns, whereby Obaseki muttered few words. Ize-Iyamu said he looked forward to an issue-based campaign with him.
Unfortunately, that was not to be as germane issues of development and welfare of Edo people took the backstage. Rather, it’s been a cocktail of personal attacks and insults.
Like he did in 2020 when he bungled the chances of Ize-Iyamu, Oshiomhole, it is feared, is about to be Okpebholo’s nemesis in many ways. Notably, his cold-blooded comment about the Obasekis’ childlessness in response to Betsy’s veiled reference to Okpebholo’s ‘wifeless’ status, may possibly boomerang and translate into sympathy votes for the PDP. Though the first lady fired the first salvo, Oshiomhole is believed to have gone overboard in fighting for his godson.
Then, there is the issue of how Okpebholo emerged as APC candidate. The people of Esanland are likely to reward Obaseki for not reneging on his 2020 promise when he sought their support, that it would be their turn in 2024. For Oshiomhole, Esanland was not his original plan. Okpebholo was an afterthought, coming after the Edo South project that propped up Dennis Idahosa failed. He still succeeded in fixing him as running mate.
And of course, the people of Esanland have not forgotten how Oshiomhole humiliated the Onojie of Uromi whom he deposed but was reinstated by Obaseki.
But perhaps the most compelling consideration for Esan people is the need to put their best foot forward in the calibre of who represents them now that they have the golden opportunity to govern Edo. The unimpeachable argument is that a zone that produced two professors in the past in the likes of late Ambrose Alli and Oserhiemen Osunbor cannot settle for less in an Okpebholo whose highest qualification is the West African School certificate reportedly obtained at the age of 36, compared to Ighodalo, a reputable lawyer and boardroom guru, though perceived as Obaseki’s undesirable alter ego.
So, the big question is, when the postmortem of the election is done, will Oshiomhole be celebrated for his feat in delivering Okpebholo, warts and all, or will he receive hard knocks as the spoilsport who caused his party another avoidable defeat? The result of Saturday September 21, 2024, will tell.