Edo 2020: Unveiling the Names on the Card
The Edo State governorship election slated for next year is gradually building up and those likely to throw their hats into the ring have also been warming up.
There is no doubt that after the Bayelsa and Kogi States governorship elections, attention will shift to Edo State, which is next in line in the governorship election to be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC). The election promises to be a big surprise, because of the calibre of persons that are coming up to contest. At the moment, 10 aspirants had either directly indicated their interest to contest their parties’ primaries or were being drawn to the fray to cause more upsets.
Incidentally, those contesting come from the two dominant political parties – the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
From the APC is the incumbent governor of the state, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; former Army Director of Personnel, Major- General Charles Airhiavbere; Business Mogul, Captain Hosa Okunbo; former deputy governor, Dr. Pius Odubu; former Minister of State, Works, Dr. Chris Ogiemwonyi; and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who recently left the PDP for the APC.
On the PDP platform is Mr. Kenneth Imansuangbon, an Abuja-based school proprietor and businessman. There is also Gideon Ikhine, a businessman, who is into oil service; former Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen; as well as present member, representing Oredo federal constituency, Hon. Ogbeide Ihama.
Onolememen
Among the PDP aspirants, Onolememen was the first to eye the seat while serving as minister. He was the leading contender, but lost interest, when the PDP lost power in 2015, to the APC. However, with the infighting in Edo APC, the notable Naval Architect is reportedly re- oiling his political machine to contest given the party’s recent pronouncement of no zoning in the governorship primary election.
Ikhine
An engineer by profession, he has not been visible in the political scene but sources close to him say he is consulting to know the next line of action. As a PDP chieftain as well as businessman with interest in the oil and gas sector, some PDP stalwarts say Ikhine has vast network within the PDP that may work to his advantage.
Presently, he is holding wide consultation to convince delegates on why he is the right man for the job. A close ally said Gideon would approach the campaign with a message of hope to the common man.
According to the source, “Gideon was the first in Edo Central to declare intention to run for the governorship, because there is no time politicians will say it is the turn of Edo Central. He wants to restore the heritage and old landmark and give hope to the hopeless.
The source also noted that Ikhine’s philosophy was derived from “a state where everybody will be equal by giving back to the poor. By the time he unveils his programme, the people will know he is the right man for the job. He wants to see through the challenges first as the Esans are already speaking with one voice.”
Ogbeide- Ihama
A member of the House of Representatives, who is serving his second term is said to be the bride of some members of PDP executive. His victory at the National Assembly polls, when he won an election in the constituency of Governor Obaseki against the governor’s APC candidate, endeared him to PDP leaders in the state.
The inability of his party’s candidates to win any seat in the two state assembly seats remained his albatross. But his chances would be high now that Pastor Ize-Iyamu has left PDP for APC
Imansuagbon
The rice man as he is called, because of his yearly distribution of bags of rice to the downtrodden has always had his eyes on the state’s number one position since 2007. He has supporters across the state due to his philanthropic gestures. His annual quiz competitions, where iPads and cash gifts are given to deserving students have remained endearing in the hearts of parents and wards.
Imasuangbon was among the financiers of the defunct Action Congress (AC), which metamorphosed to ACN and present day APC before his sojourns to PDP, because of skewed primaries intended to favour a particular candidate rather than giving all aspirants a level playing ground. He contributed to the provision of a secretariat for the party and was among the leading candidates, when he was asked to step down for Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
Imasuangbon later defected to the PDP and gave life to the then comatose party. He contested the governorship in 2011, but lost at the primary to General Charles Airhiavbere. In 2016, Imasuangbon defected to the APC and contested again. He was among the aspirants that lost to Obaseki.
Imasuangbon, a lawyer has declared intention to run again in 2020 under the PDP. His chances
of clinching the PDP ticket are high as he has all it takes to convince party delegates in addition to no zoning mantra of the state PDP leadership. On the other hand, APC presently parades six aspirants though many may still indicate their interests before the bell for the primary election tolls.
Godwin Obaseki
He is the incumbent governor of the state on the platform of APC. Obaseki, a technocrat, has within the three years had his eye on infrastructural development of the state. His brand of politics can only be found in an ideal society devoid of noise making and self- aggrandisement. Unfortunately, that kind of mindset runs antithetical to party leaders, who feel used and ditched, more so that he was a political nobody before Oshiomhole forced party members to endorse him.
Presently, he is not in the good books of a majority of his party members, who have vowed to take their pounds of flesh. Nevertheless, the ignoble role played by the governor in the nocturnal inauguration of the state assembly, which enthroned minority rule is still fresh in the minds of his traducers.
But the governor, a political neophyte of yesterday, is now a political master of today as he is said to have also perfected his own plan to ensure he gets his party’s ticket with or without APC. He was alleged to have had a concrete arrangement with the opposition PDP should APC decide to pull the rug off his feet by denying him the ticket, because of the array of internal crises that have engulfed the party presently.
The arrangement with PDP, as allegedly gathered was what led to the exit of Ize-Iyamu from the party. The governor was alleged to have reached an agreement with PDP leaders for a soft landing in case he was unable to secure the APC ticket.
Osagie Ize- Iyamu
Before last Thursday crossover, Ize-Iyamu’s movement has been on the lips of every politically conscious person in and out of Edo State. First, it was in the realm of speculation but with his formal defection, the former candidate of the PDP, now back to APC, the stage appears set for a mother of all political battles.
Ize-Iyamu aroused fears both in the camp of PDP and ruling APC, though he may or may not contest the party primaries. If he does, it may likely cause implosion except the party already has the mechanism to assuage those, who may feel aggrieved and cheated. Should he refuse to contest, he could bring more fortune to the party being a great mobiliser of political animals.
Captain Hosa Okunbor
He is a businessman, investor, philanthropist and commercial pilot, who has served as director and chairman of numerous company boards in multiple business sectors like agro- allied, petroleum, telecommunications, power, real estate and banking industries.
“Capy” as his admirers address him is rumoured to be interested in contesting the APC governorship primaries. He is alleged to be the choice of Benin royal family but the business mogul had been quoted as saying, “I am not interested in politics but will contribute my quota to the political development of my state, Edo”.
Charles Airhiavbere
Major- General Charles Airhiavbere Contested the Edo 2012 governorship elections under PDP but was beaten by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of the APC. He defected to APC in 2016, vied for the party primaries with Governor Obaseki, who won and later became the governor in the election. He is one of those challenging Obaseki in the APC party contest.
Pius Odubu
A former deputy governor of Edo State, Pius Odubu contested the APC primaries but came a distant second to Obaseki, who won.
The two-time deputy governor and two-time member of the House of Representatives is a fine politician, who does not believe in politics with bitterness. When he lost the primaries to Obaseki, he did not abandon the party. He went ahead to traverse the length and breadth of the state to campaign for Obaseki’s victory at the polls.
He is taunted as one of those interested to re- contest the APC primaries. However today, favour has smiled on him following his nomination and clearance by the Senate as chairman designate of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), a development that may likely make him have a rethink.
Chris Ogiemeonyi
The retired Executive Director of NNPP is also former Minister of State, Works under former President Goodluck Jonathan. The former PDP chieftain left the party to contest the governorship primaries of APC in 2016.
Again, ahead of next year’s election, he is putting together his political structure to square up with the incumbent governor, who defeated him and others three years ago.