By Sanusi Abdullahi Oyelekan.

In the last few weeks, Benin City, the heartbeat of Edo State came under political focus as heavy-weights in the three major political parties (the APC, LP and PDP) and their aspirants tested might in picking governorship candidates, Our Correspondent, Sanusi Abdullahi Oyelekan examines the details.

Political tensions mount to its crescendos as aspirants in both the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP) were engaged in high-wired intrigues, maneuvering that produced candidates laying claims to the parties’ tickets ahead of the September 21 governorship election for the soul of the state.

At the end of the power plays among political gladiators at their various parties’ primaries, Senator Monday Okpebholo, (APC), former chairman, Sterling Bank Plc, Dr Asuen Ighodalo, (PDP) and former president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Barrister Olumide Akpata, all emerged standard flag bearers of their parties.

Also, a member of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt Hon Dennis Idahosa, one of the major contenders for the APC ticket and Senator Adams Oshiomhole’s preferred candidate also laid claims to the governorship ticket.

Olumide Akpata’s victory is also been challenged by the Barrister Ken Imansuangbon, Hilton Idahosa and Anderson Mawah.

As Governor Godwin Obaseki’s backed candidate, Asen Ighodalo was presented with a certificate of return having been declared winner at a well-organised and widely broadcast primaries, his arch rival and deputy governor of the state, Rt Hon Philip Shaibu also emerged winner of a parallel primary and has asked the acting national chairman of the PDP, Amb Umar Damagum and the party leadership to issue him a certificate of return. He threatened that the party must abide by its own rules or be prepared to face legal action.

Meanwhile, the earlier announcement of the member of the House of Representatives Hon. Dennis Idahosa, Oshiomhole’s preferred candidate on the 17th of February by Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma was received with mixed reactions.

Few hours later, Sen Okpebholo was also announced by the chief returning officer, Dr Stanley Ugboaja, as winner after the process had earlier been interrupted by suspected political thugs having collated results from the 18 local government areas of the state.

Idahosa, an aspirant from Edo South was backed by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole while Sen Okpebholo’s emergence was made seamless following the last minute huge support he got from two other aspirants, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and Chief Lucky Imansuen, who stepped down.

Ize-Iyamu and Lucky Imansuen are notable gladiators with huge political capital in Edo South. Their support for Okpebholo decimated the political grip of Idahosa in Edo South where he hails from.

The APC primaries were perceived in some quarters as a supremacy battle and test of might between Senator Adams Oshiomhole and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. For some of Oshiomhole’s critics, it was an opportunity to break his political dominance and alleged ‘dictatorial tendency’ in determining who gets what as far as APC politics is concerned.

Even as Idahosa weighs the option of challenging the emergence of Okpebholo in court on the grounds of alleged irregularities and manipulation, some analysts are of the view that the Ovia-born politician was a pun in the political chess game between Oshiomhole and Ize-Iyamu.

Besides his financial war chest, Okpebholo, a political protégé of late Chief Tony Anenih of blessed memory is said to have enjoyed strong backing of both the state and National Working Committee, of the party, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and support of some highly placed northern governors and power broker within the APC.

On the other hand, Idahosa who lost the governorship ticket was said to have enjoyed tacit support of the presidency.

It was however learnt that despite the outcome of the APC governorship primaries, stakeholders in the party have embarked on fence mending with the sole aim of uniting all aggrieved members of the party towards the onerous task of returning Edo State back to the APC fold.

While the Labour party will be confronting the two major political parties, the PDP and the APC at the September 21st 2024, governorship election, the party’s primaries was won by former President, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Olumide Akpata. His emergence is also been challenged just like candidates in the APC and PDP.

Expectedly, Olumide picked the LP ticket seamlessly beating other aspirants by a wide margin. The former NBA President shortly after he indicated his interest to join the governorship race asserted his weight and financial influence by deploying his resources in running the affairs of the LP in the state which drew large numbers of LP faithful to him.

His demonstration of capacity to chart a new direction for the party and winning the ticket also sparked speculation in political circles that he is been sponsored by Governor Godwin Obaseki, an allegation he has repeatedly denied.

Olu D’ as he is fondly called has continued to savours in the euphoria of his victory, a member of the LP, Comrade Felix Igbinewu, the National Coordinator of Obidient Patriot, however condemned the party’s primary election. He described the primaries as a ‘coup’ against democratic process.

“The harassment of the national chairman, Julius Abure and his executive members a few hours to the primaries election is something that still beats our imagination. What happened to Abure was a kidnap and not arrest. Why must they wait to that very moment to arrest him? A brother of an aspirant was at the scene to video him and what he was also doing at the police station. He queried?

“We are not going to accept the outcome of the primaries and we are not in support of Edo South to become the governor. Are they trying to tell us that Edo central does not have a qualified person?

He also alleged that the ticket of the party was merchandised to the highest bidders and threatened that the party will give a clear direction to party members on who to support.

He continued, “What we witnessed was a coup to democratic process where delegates were lodged in a hotel under tight security and protection, no aspirant was allowed to visit them apart from the aspirant that sponsored that attack on the party and robbed us of the chances of winning Edo state governorship election. We are not going to support the Labour Party candidate because he was imposed on the Obidient people.

In the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state removed all known and perceived hurdles to ensure that his age long friend and now political ally, Asuen Ighodalo emerged the party flag bearer against his arch-rival and deputy governor of Edo state, Rt. Hon Philip Shaibu.

While some delegates at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium venue of the PDP primaries gathered to elect Ighodalo another set of delegates had gathered at a facility in Commercial Avenue in a parallel primary where they announced Philip Shaibu as the party’s candidate.

They claimed that they went to the venue for accreditation but were chased away by security agencies. They also alleged that the list of delegates published by the national leadership of the party was not the authentic one alleging that they saw names of people from Bayelsa state and names of people who are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Bartholomew Moses while declaring Shaibu winner said “during the counting of this primary election, Philip Shaibu has a score of 301 votes and therefore, we hereby declare Philip Shaibu as the authentic elected candidate for this election in the PDP”

The people had barely finished their exercise when gunmen invaded the venue. They were dressed in vigilante outfits and came in several vehicles including two black unmarked Toyota Hiace Trucks, unmarked white sienna, white Hilux and several other vehicles. They were shooting sporadically into the air and the people scampered into different directions for safety.

Speaking to the protesting delegates, Shaibu said “I appeal to all of you to be peaceful; I don’t want anybody to be injured. I don’t want anybody molested and I am happy the way you have conducted yourselves peacefully and have come to report to me that you were not allowed to be accredited but I want to tell you that no one man can determine the destiny of a people and by the grace of God, they cannot disenfranchise you people.

“The law is clear that you people are the authentic delegates. Now that they have pushed you away, they want to go and replace you but I assure you that your vote must count; they cannot change and replace your names. I assure you that I will take your protest to the committee that is coming but you must remain peaceful in everything you are doing.”

Despite the protests against the emergence of Ighodalo, the Acting National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Amb. Umar Ililya Damagum, presented that Certificate of Returns as the party’s   flag bearer in the election, from the PDP National Working Committee.

Asuen polled 577 of the 585 accredited votes to clinch the party’s ticket, defeating nine other aspirants including the incumbent deputy governor of the state, Philip Shaibu and Anselm Ojezua, among others.

After receiving the certificate of return, the Edo PDP governorship candidate, Dr. Ighodalo commended all stakeholders of the party for their support, promising to transform Edo State to a first-world economy if elected as governor.

He said, “I thank our party members and leaders as well as other stakeholders of the party, especially the youths, who took me through the length and breadth of Edo State during my consultation to become our party’s candidate. I am extremely proud to be a member of this party. I also appreciate our women for their love and support. They carried me on their back from day one.

“I am grateful for the fairness and transparency of the national leadership of the party. I salute the National Working Committee (NWC) for the transparent and fair manner in which it conducted the primary election in Edo State.”

END.