Politicians are die-hard optimists. Even when the odds are stacked against them and their chances look slim, the belief that they will win every contest is unshaken. One cannot blame them for this in a country where a candidate who finished third in an election was eventually sworn in after a court adjudged that he scored the “highest valid vote”.

It is such optimism that is driving the old guards and the new aspirants in Edo State as they continue to declare their intention to run for the governorship seat in 2024. As of Monday, the intending aspirants from the Peoples Democratic Party, All Progressives Congress, and the Labour Party are 68 with more expected to join the race. The LP has 28 aspirants, the APC has 29, and the PDP has 11, while it is certain that more aspirants will join the race from other smaller parties.

The aspirants are made up of old guards and new entrants while the decision by the APC not to heed the clamour to zone the ticket to Edo Central may see more aspirants joining the race.

Unexpectedly, the state APC chairman, Col. David Imuse (retd) has also thrown his heart in the ring with serving senators and members of the House of Representatives also joining. Spokesman to General Ibrahim Babangida (retd) and former Commissioner for Information, Kassim Afegbua; Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who was the APC candidate in 2020 are also said to be in the race.

Battling for the APC ticket too is Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (retd), a former Accountant General of the Nigeria Army and Director of Finance administration of NDDC.

One of the seasoned campaigners, Kenneth Imasuagbon, who has aspired most (four times), under different political parties is now gunning for the seat for the fifth time under the LP. He caused a stir last week when he urged party faithful not to give the ticket to political neophytes while on a visit to Igarra in Akoko Edo Local government.

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