Buhari’s choice of a long loyal political associate as
his minister from Edo State could alter permutations
as regard the emergence of governorship candidates
in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
THE body language of Comrade Adams
Oshiomhole and his associates in the All
Progressives Congress, APC had indicated that
the battle for his succession would be narrowed
down to the Edo South Senatorial district.
It was as such not surprising that Oshiomhole’s
leading political traducer in the state, Chief Tony
Anenih, the leader as he is called by his
associates, moved with caution to nudge the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to narrow the
party’s ticket to the dominant Edo South
senatorial district.
The reason the two major parties in the state
narrowed the choice to Edo South was because
the district with more than 50% of the total
voting population could easily determine the
outcome of the main election in the event of the
election taking an ethnic divide.
The decision of the two major parties was not
without consideration of the fact that the Edo
Central Senatorial district it would have been the
turn of Edo Central, the only zone that is yet to
have a full four-year term at the governorship.
The zone’s only hold on the governorship was
the 17 months or so Senator Osehreinmen
Osunbor from the zone was governor before he
was removed by the courts.
Remarkably, Oshiomhole’s victory in the courts
was believed to have been welcomed by the
mainstream PDP led by Anenih before the two
men fell apart setting the stage for the bitter
recrimination between both men. It was perhaps
in his quest to get the better of Oshiomhole that
Anenih was believed to have jettisoned the idea
of getting the next governorship candidate of the
PDP from Edo Central in favour of matching the
candidate from the APC in Edo South.
It was as such not surprising that a number of
candidates from Edo South surfaced in the two
parties. Among the much speculated aspirants
from the APC known to be quietly building up for
the contest are Oshiomhole’s deputy, Dr Pius
Odubu, Mr. Kenneth Imasuagbon popularly known
as the rice man on account of his philanthropic
gestures, the Commissioner for Works, Osarodion
Ogie, Mr. Godwin Obaseki chairman of the
governor’s Economic Team and a former Minister
of State (Works), Dr Chris Ogienwonyi. Former
Governor Osunbor is also believed to be
interested in having a second shot and so is the
2012 PDP candidate of the PDP, Gen. Charles
Airhiavbere (rtd.) who has since crossed over to
the APC.
On the side of the PDP, it has been relatively
low but there are indications that Senator Ehigie
Uzamere who became the first Edo South
senator to serve two terms could soon jump into
the fray upon increasing pressures on him from
stakeholders. Also believed to be eyeing the
ticket are Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a former
secretary to the state government and former
representative on the Niger Delta Development
Commission, NDDC, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen.
Also waiting in the wings is the still undisclosed
candidate of the Dr. Sam Ogbemudia led Edo
Mass Movement, EMM.
However, the nomination of Dr. Osagie Ehinare
from Edo South may have altered the
permutations as advocates of power shift are
now pointing out that it could well put that
senatorial zone to the disadvantage of all others.
They point to the fact that the national chairman
of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun is also
from Edo South and that adding the governor
from that region could be against the principle of
federal character.
However, that lobby is yet to get full traction
given the opinion by some of the leading
stakeholders from the state.
Senators Matthew Urhoghide representing Edo
South and Francis Alimikhena, Edo North spoke
on the issue in phone interviews with Vanguard.
Repeated efforts to get Senator Clifford Ordia
representing Edo Central, remarkably, the zone
that stands to benefit in the event of a change in
the permutation were not successful. He did not
respond to text messages and calls to him on
the issue.