Obaseki Crosses the First Hurdle
The emergence, at the weekend, of Mr. Godwin Obaseki as the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate for the Edo State governorship poll is just one hurdle scaled. Shola Oyeyipo writes
The race to succeed the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Osh-iohnole has always promised to be very interesting, not just because it is one of the staggered elections billed to take place later this year, but also because the contention among the aspirants has been keen. Another scintillating aspect of the election billed to take place sometime in September is that the contest is not just limited to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and its conventional rival – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – even within the ruling party, there has stiff rivalry among other aspirants.
Though there were issues relating to the outgoing Governor Oshiomhole putting his weight behind Obaseki’s candidature and whether or not the support would eventually enable him clinch the party’s ticket, at the end of the day, when the party concluded its primary last weekend, Obaseki emerged the governorship candidate of the APC for the September 10 governorship election.
Obaseki is the pioneer and chairman of the Edo State Economic and Strategy Team, which was inaugurated by Governor Oshiomole in March 2009. He holds post graduate degrees in both Finance and International Business, and he is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Stock Brokers. He has served as executive board member of several private companies including Afrinvest.
The Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Masari, who was the chairman of the Election Committee, announced that Obaseki polled 1,618 delegates’ votes to defeat Governor Oshiomhole’s deputy, Pius Odubu, who scored 471.
Odubu, one of the most notable contenders for the APC ticket, was recently reported to have escaped assassination by gunmen, who opened fire on him and his entourage in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government area of the state. He and Oshiomhole were rumoured to have been at loggerheads because he (Odubu) declared his intention to contest the gubernatorial election in the state.
Another prominent aspirant, Kenneth Imansuagbon, who had embarked on rigorous campaigns and expressed great enthusiasm polled 247. Former Minister of State for Works, Chris Ogiemwonyi (137), Major General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd) (11), Emmanuel Arigbe-Osula (10), Professor Osarheimen Osunbor (nine), Professor Frederick Amadausn (eight), Peter Esele (eight), Blessing Agbonmeire (five), Austin Emuan (four) and Mrs. Tina Agbarha (three) votes.
While a particular aspect of concern that the aspirants have harped on was the need for free and fair primary, which they say is the panacea for the overall success of the APC at the general election, an indication from the Police Commissioner in Edo State, Mr. Chris Ezike, on Saturday, after the primary was that the primary was peacefully conducted with hitch-free accreditation.
In a chat with journalists, Ezike said after the APC Governorship primary election held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, that he was impressed with the manner the delegates conducted themselves.
“The accreditation was orderly, free and fair, and I believe the delegates will attest to the fact that it was a smooth exercise. Unauthorised persons were taken care of and the security situation was in order,” Ezike added.
Another commentator, a former State House of Assembly Speaker, Mr Thomas Okosun, said the primary election accreditation was worthy of emulation, adding that there was no room for discussion among the delegates during the exercise.
“Immediately a delegate is through with the accreditation, the security personnel will escort such delegate to the vehicle that will convey the delegates to the venue of the election. The exercise displayed love and understanding among the APC delegates and as such, the delegates should support whosoever emerges as candidate of the party,” Okunsun said.
A total of 1,200 policemen were reportedly deployed to provide security for the governorship primaries and it was associated to part of the reasons for the orderliness that characterised the exercise.
One of the aspirants, Esele, also attested to the fair conduct of the party primary, when he commended the exercise and urged his supporters to work for the success of the party in the election.
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support. This is also to give my support and good wishes for Mr. Godwin Noghaghase Obaseki on his victory as our party flag bearer. Let us all join hands to support him in the general election.”
On his part, Governor Oshiomhole described the exercise as credible and that it is an entrenchment of the democratic principle of one man, one vote.
“Having monitored and watched everything that has happened here. We are celebrating democracy; Edo is leading in living by example. If you compare what has happened in some other places, obviously, this is an outstanding achievement. You will remember that this is where we launched one-man-one vote and what we have demonstrated today is a case of one-man-one vote and I am glad that the delegates won. The delegates have spoken. Now, the party should be more united. We are ready to hit the ground running for the campaigns and God-willing by September 10, I am sure Edo people will re-affirm the bond between them and the APC.
“Every aspirant got recognition by the delegates; at least nobody went home without any vote. Like the chairman of the organising committee said, everybody won. Like I said, if you have 12 angels on parade and if you want to select one, we have selected a candidate, we all now have to work together which is something we understand from the beginning. I believe everybody, who contested understood, they now have to work together to deliver the ticket and I think that would not be a problem.”
Oshiomhole said further that: “If you listen to the speech of the candidate, the guy is sound. He is at home with the issues. He is not a stranger to governance. For seven and a half years, he has been part of the system. In the brain box, there is no space for learning. The guy is already ready to go hit the ground leaning. For me, I feel fulfilled but you know in Nigeria, people are always in a hurry to throw mud. The way the thing has gone, I am sure the media had shown it live and I am sure that Nigerians wherever they are, have a position.”
As regards its main challenger, the PDP, Oshiomhole said: “There is no PDP. Which of the factions are we going to face? You have one body several heads even when they were potent, we defeated them. So, there is no cause for concern. We will go for the election; there are other parties in the state, PDP will not be an issue and I don’t think Edo people will forget the crime of PDP in a hurry not for the next 20 years in this state.”
While giving his acceptance speech, Obaseki said: “Today is a great day for our democracy and for our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). It is a great day for development in Edo State. Today, we have commenced another phase in our journey into our brighter future – a future which will define us as a modern and progressive state, where every citizen is empowered with opportunities to live life to its fullness.
“I am indeed humbled by this nomination and will like to state that this is our collective victory and thank you all. This is only the beginning. The challenge is for us, to take the contest to the next level. As a party, we must continue to work as a team to deliver victory at the September 10 Governorship election. And let me assure you that we will win.
“The administration of the Comrade Governor came on the heels of decades of mismanagement, unproductive and failed policies, all shrouded in excuses by the PDP past government. But in the face of these challenges, the administration dared to envision an Edo State that will become a leading economic centre in Nigeria, where the people live in dignity, powered by a government that is responsive to their needs. Today, we are proud that Edo stands out as a success story. We will build on that success and continue to live up to the metaphor of our state – The Heartbeat of Nigeria.”
It’s indeed a victory worthy of celebration for Obaseki and his supporters, but the APC leadership in Edo State cannot pretend that there is need to pacify other aggrieved aspirants in the race and to that extent, the party immediately kick-started moves to reconcile all aggrieved aspirants and political groups because it is a known fact that in the run-up to the primaries, there were allegations of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) mop-up, bribery of delegates and observed support for Obaseki, who eventually secured the ticket.
Odubu had stormed out of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City venue of the primary before the results were announced in the early hours of Sunday by Masari and while Imansuagbon was yet to make either negative or positive statement about the conduct and outcome of the primaries, it is obvious that he and the likes of Airhiavbere, Osula, Osunbor and other aspirants are relevant to the success of the APC at the general election and must be reunited with the winner so that they don’t work at cross-purposes.
Thus, in his reaction to the fall out of the primary election, the Edo APC, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Godwin Erhahon, on Sunday, pledged to reunite all rival groups that went into the primary to ensure victory for the party in the forthcoming governorship election.
The statement read in part that: “We appeal to all aggrieved persons to forgive all pre-primary offences and cooperate as members of one family to mobilise voters for the APC in the forthcoming governorship election. The APC and its government in Edo State will strive to heal all wounds and pains, physical and emotional; that may have been sustained or felt during the battle for various aspirants towards the primaries.”
A lot of political watchers in Nigeria are waiting earnestly to see how much the reconciliation would work and how it would translate into victory for the ruling party.
I am indeed humbled by this nomination and will like to state that this is our collective victory and thank you all. This is only the beginning. The challenge is for us, to take the contest to the next level. As a party, we must continue to work as a team to deliver victory at the September 10 Governorship election. And let me assure you that we will win