Edo 2024: It’s Final Battle For Oshiomhole, Obaseki

Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State may be principally between the candidates of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party but the battle of pride is between the immediate-past governor of the state, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, and the present Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.
While Oshiomhole is backing the APC candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, Obaseki is fighting hard for the PDP candidate, Mr. Asue Ighodalo, to succeed him. The Labour Party candidate, Mr. Olumide Akpata, seems to be his own man however.
Obaseki caused a major upset in 2020 when he defeated Osagie Ize-Iyamu, whom Oshiomhole backed in the governorship election. It was a huge defeat for Oshiomhole, after he used his influence as the National Chairman of the APC to disqualify Obaseki from contesting the primary election of the party that year. In that election, Oshiomhole had mobilized the support of virtually every political bigwig in the state and threw the weight of President Bola Tinubu, then the National Leader of the APC, behind Ize-Iyamu. But Edo people rejected him, the APC and Tinubu with the slogan, Edo No Be Lagos.
Oshiomhole who was the governor of Edo State between 2008 and 2016, had installed Obaseki as his successor in 2016. In that election, Obaseki defeated Ize-Iyamu, who had crossed over to the PDP from APC after his aspiration conflicted with Oshiomhole’s interest. Incidentally, Ize-Iyamu was Oshiomhole’s campaign manager in the 2012 reelection of Oshiomhole. Ize-Iyamu was also instrumental to the invitation of Oshiomhole in 2007 to pick the joint ticket of Labour Party and Action Congress (AC) that later on collapsed into APC.
During the 2016 election, Oshiomhole was the campaign mouthpiece of Obaseki, who was his economic adviser. Ize-Iyamu had earlier on resigned from Oshiomhole’s kitchen cabinet.
Oshiomhole and Obaseki are throwing in everything in their arsenals in this battle of pride to win because it may turn out to be their last fight. And whoever wins may as well take home the trophy as the champion of Edo politics.
A veteran labour leader, Oshiomhle is a tireless crowd mobiliser, who is deploying his speech power and stage performances to campaign for Okpebholo. On the other hand, Obaseki, a capitalist technocrat, has been reeling out figures and facts at the campaign grounds. While Oshiomhole rebuilt schools and collapsed roads, Obaseki carried out educational and financial reforms during his tenure. He also rehabilitated the secretariat complex and invested in power and oil refining projects.
The battle between Oshiomhole and Obaseki has not been limited to the two of them. In the course of the campaigns, their families were brought in. Mrs. Besty Obaseki had during one of her campaign meetings with women, urged women not to vote for a man that was not capable of keeping a woman at home, in apparent reference to Okpebholo who was not married. In response at a campaign rally, Oshiomhole hit back at Obaseki, saying a couple who did not have a child was not capable of loving children. Obaseki’s supporters literally took it up from there and attacked Oshiomhole, who has not had a child with his present wife, since they were married more than 10 years ago.
The September 21 election has similar characters with the 2020 election though the candidates and their backgrounds differ. In 2020, it was Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu both from Edo South Senatorial Zone, while this year’s election is between Ighodalo and Okpebolo both from Edo Central.
Like Obaseki, Ighodalo, 65, is a technocrat, who served in the economic team of Oshiomhole when Oshiomhole was governor. He has worked as a lawyer, banker and board Chairman of Sterling Bank. He hails from Okaigben in Esan South-East Local Government Area. Well educated, attended the prestigious Kings College, Lagos.
Okpebholo, a current Senator representing Edo Central was born in 1970. He was a businessman before he went into politics. Educated locally, he has been subjected to media attacks over his speech slips during the campaigns.
Edo Central from where both candidates hail will be having their first clear foray into the governorship of Edo State if they win. The two other senatorial zones, Edo North and Edo South have had their full turns, with Edo North (Oshiomhole) governing from 2008 to 2012 and Edo South (Lucky Igbinedion and Obaseki) 1999-2007; 2016-2024. The only time that Edo Central produced governor was in 2007 -2008 when Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor was elected. But he was removed by the court in 2008.
Edo State was created in 1991 from the defunct Bendel State. It is made up of 18 local government areas with six in the North, five in the central and seven in the south. The capital is Benin City, which is also the base of the ancient Benin Empire. Though Edo is an oil producing state, its revenue base is minimal as it depends principally on allocation from the federation account. It has rich cash crop plantations like oil palm, cocoa and rubber. But the crops are mainly exploited for their raw materials. The rich cultural heritage of Benin attracts tourists to the ancient kingdom every tear, especially during the Igue festival during Christmas and New Year. The Kukuruku Hills in the North also attract visitors. The people are lovely, well educated and have wide global exposure.
The third top candidate, Olumide Akpata, hails from Edo South, which has produced two governors. But he is riding on the popularity that Labour Party gathered during last year’s presidential election to reach out. He was once the President of the Nigerian Bar Association.