Edo 2016: Scramble for Oshiomhole’s seat

Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, reports that as we enter the governorship election year in Edo State, the scramble for Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s seat is gathering more steam. He presents the issues that will determine who would fly the parties’ flags, plus a brief profile of some of the leading aspirants so far

Governor Oshiomhole

Although Comrade Adams Oshiomhole still has eleven months to the expiration of his tenure as the governor of Edo State, the race for his plum seat is already hot with about 10 visible aspirants already showing interest for the ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) alone. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which governed the state for 10 years before Oshiomhole’s emergence and has sworn to take back the state from him and his party, is also not left out in the scramble for Oshiomhole’s seat.

As a result, the political atmosphere is as if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has already flagged off the electioneering campaign. The Nation’s checks confirmed that the political structures of some of the powerful aspirants have been fully oiled and are therefore actively involved in the behind-the-scene sensitization of the common party men and women and more importantly in the consultation of major stakeholders.

In the PDP, the outgoing governor Oshiomhole, who has been described by his supporters as “a grassroots politician and an unbelievable mobilizer,” is seen by many as the central determinant factor that must be convinced by the aspirants. As would be expected, the comrade governor is yet to name his choice successor.

This fact has however not discouraged aspirants in the party from making their interests known. In fact, as at this week, the names of aspirants believed to have commenced serious preparations include the current Deputy Governor of the state, Pius Odubu, a former governor, Prof. Osarhemhen Osunbor, retired Major-General Charles Airhiavbere, Kenneth Imasuagbon, Godwin Obaseki, a former minister of state for works, Chris Ogiemwonyi and Osarodion Ogie.

From the opposition PDP, we have aspirants like Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Chief Solomon Edebiri, a former candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, a former member of the state house of assembly and former state commissioner on NDDC board and Senator Ehigie Uzamere, among many others.

What may influence the parties’ choices?

Preliminary investigations into the current sentiment of both the political leaderships in Edo State and amongst the common people show that the issue of who would succeed Oshiomhole may be determined not only by the calibre of the aspirant but also by ethnic and or zonal considerations. We gathered that the two leading political parties in the state are conscious of the sentiment of the people and may be forced to weigh all options and likely effects before zeroing in on their candidates.

Also, considering the widespread belief that APC-led government of Adams Oshiomhole performed far above average, some bookmakers are of the opinion today that an APC candidate will be on a better footing than other candidates during the governorship election likely to take place sometime around June or July of 2016. The advantage accruing from the governor’s performance is further strengthened by the many defections of top political leaders in the state from PDP to APC.

But our findings show that performance of the outgoing governor and the current popularity of his party, APC, will not be the only considerations that would come into play when the chips are down. There is also the people’s sentiment on the need for what they described as fair zoning. This is a major challenge, especially for APC. Edo South Senatorial Zone for example, which has more than 50 percent voting population, has been most outspoken on the need to produce Oshiomhole’s successor. Edo Central Senatorial District is also not keeping quiet. For example, Dr. Francis Inegbeniki, the APC senatorial candidate for Edo Central in the March 28 general election, is of the opinion that the agitation by the people of Edo Central to produce the next governor of the state in 2016 “is non-negotiable,” arguing that the agitation is “for the purpose of justice, equity and fair play.”

He also said, “Edo Central had only occupied the governor’s office for just 18 months, adding that “The people of Edo Central are demanding to produce the next governor to take over from Oshiomhole in 2016. Honestly, I think the people of Edo South, which had occupied the position for over nine years and Edo North presently completing its eight years in that office in the person of Oshiomhole should not argue about it.”

Given this contention, insiders said the parties must take the people’s sentiment into consideration before determining who will fly their gubernatorial flags. A source hinted that as a result, each of the leading parties may not be in a hurry to pick its candidate as they may strategically wait for each other to declare their candidate first.

Chief Eric Obaseki, a retired civil servant in Benin, explains the situation and the sentiment when he told The Nation that “although other parties may field candidates, the battle would most likely be between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). So, the major task before these two parties is the task of picking the right candidate from the right zone. From what I have seen so far, zoning may be the major consideration here,” he said, adding, “From the calibre of aspirants so far, there is no doubt that we have qualified people vying to succeed the comrade governor. But fair is fair, any of the parties that fails to consider where its candidate comes from may pay dearly for it.”

As at today, three days into the election year, some of the visible aspirants for the Oshiomhole’s job from his party, the APC, include:

Pius Egberanmwen Odubu

Considered by many as one of the frontline aspirants on the platform of the ruling APC is Hon. Pius Egberanmwen Odubu, from Urhomehe in Urhonigbe North Ward, Orhionmwon Local Governrnent Area of Edo State. Odubu, who served two terms at the House of Representatives, is currently the Deputy Governor of Edo State. A lawyer, he studied at Southern University School of Law, Baton Rouge Louisiana and Georgetown University Law Centre, Washington D.C. before he was called to bar in Nigeria in 1986. Odubu’s strongest advantage over others is that he is seen as a loyal deputy who may easily get the support of the governor.

Oserheimen Osunbor

Another APC aspirant whose supporters may have commenced serious consultations is the former governor of the state, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor. He was elected Senator for the Edo Central Constituency of Edo State, Nigeria at the start of the Nigerian Fourth Republic, on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He served at the red chamber between 29 May 1999 and 2003 and was re-elected into the plum office. In April 2007 he was elected Governor of Edo State also on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) platform but only spent 18 months on the seat before he lost at the tribunal and the Appeal Court to Oshiomhole.

Now in the same party with Oshiomhole, who once described him as ‘a good man in a wrong party,’ and coming from Edo Central, who are demanding for fairness, Osunbor’s supporters are hopeful.

Chris Osa Ogiemwonyi

Even before his defection from PDP to APC, early December 2014, his interest to govern Edo State was well known. So since he formalised his cross-over at the Urhokpota Ground, Oba O Vonramwen Square, Benin City that day, assuring Governor Oshiomhole that “On Behalf of over 2,000 people declaring for APC today, I declare to work with you to take our party to greater heights,” speculation that he would be one of the frontline aspirants for the governor’s seat had been popular.

An engineer with over 30 years of work experience in the oil and gas industry, who retired as Executive Director (Exploration and Production), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), before his appointment as Minister of State for Works, Ogiemwonyi has consistently harped on his desire to render service to the people. But his critics have said that he cannot boast of the kind of solid political structure that would enable him win the APC governorship primaries.

His response to this is however instructive. He had said, “I hear that and I laugh when I hear it; structure, what is structure, these are human beings. What is going to play out now and tomorrow in Nigeria is not how deep you are in politics, but people are going to respect the character of the person

Charles Airhiavbere

Major-General Charles Airhiavbere (retired) was Commander, Corps of Army Finance and Accounts at the Army Headquarters. An accountant, he was the PDP candidate at the 2012 Edo State Governorship Election. Now in APC, he is seen as one of the aspirants whose supporters are already deeply involved in consultations. There are many other visible aspirants in APC like Kenneth Imasuagbon, Godwin Obaseki, a former minister of state for works, Chris Ogiemwonyi and Osarodion Ogie. among others.

From the PDP, some of the frontline aspirants so far include:

Mike Onolememen

Mike Oziegbe Onolememen, a Chartered Architect is the immediate Minister, Federal Ministry of Works. He served previously as Minister of State, in the Ministry of Defense, and as Head of the Directorate of Project Management of Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF).

Osagie Ize-Iyamu

Another visible PDP aspirant today in Edo State is Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a lawyer. He was Chief of Staff in Edo State Government from 1999 to 2003 and Secretary to the State Government from 2003 to 2007.

Solomon Iyobosa Edebiri

There is also Solomon Iyobosa Edebiri. Haven contested as ANPP governorship candidate in 2012, Edebiri is not a new comer to Edo State politics. He has Edo South background.

Matthew Iduoriyekemwen

Also, Mathew Iduoriyekemwen, who was Edo State Representative on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is also considered a frontline aspirant on the platform of PDP. Called ‘Major,’ by his admirers, Iduoriyekemwen, who represented Kpoba-Okha Local Government Area in the Edo State House of Assembly between May 1999 and May 2007, is touted as a grassroots politician.

In all the parties, the list is growing by the day, a sign that Edo governorship primaries will be very intriguing.

Edo 2016: Scramble for Oshiomhole’s seat