The All Progressives Congress (APC’s) desire to present a strong, unified force against a resurgent PDP going into the September 2016 Edo State gubernatorial elections could be in serious jeopardy following party members’ decision not to queue behind current governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s anointed handpicked candidate, Godwin Obaseki.
It was learnt that Oshiomhole’s decision to unilaterally foist on the party Obaseki, a man without any previous political antecedent and experience, as his choice of a successor despite entreaties by well meaning party chieftains has now split the party along ethnic, religious and ideological lines. The governor is particularly being accused of trying to change the goalpost in the middle of a game after he had initially promised to allow a level playing field, where he would ensure that only the best and most popular candidate emerged.
Although the governor had romanced the idea of having Osarodion Ogie, his former chief of staff succeed him, he had capitulated after pressure forced him to throw the race open for such high – profile candidates as Professor Julius Ihonvbere, Major Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, current deputy Pius Odubu, Lucky Imasuen, Prof. Oserhiemen Osunbor, Kenneth Imasuagbon etc, to come in.
Enquiries also reveal that the governor has not been having a swell time selling his preferred candidate who is said to have links with foremost industrialist, Aliko Dangote. An Edo government house source who prefers anonymity told Independent in Benin that the governor is at crossroads on whether to swim or sink with Obaseki or bow to pressure to revert to status quo.
“The governor is finding it hard to sell Godwin Obaseki not only to the party but to the electorate. Added to his dilemma is the fact that Obaseki who has no background and experience in politics, also don’t have a party structure,” our source disclosed. Our source also informed that what could remotely pass for a structure Oshiomhole’s ‘anointed’ candidate can boast of is that he operates from the government house where the government daily commandeers his aides to provide him logistic support. And in the face of bare – faced denials by loyalists, rumours of the governor’s pact with powerful godfathers to install a malleable successor has refused to go away.
“There are rumours that personal interest, rather than the collective well – being of Edo people is what is instigating the governor’s actions.
“Or how else can one describe what he is doing?” an aggrieved party member pose rhetorically.
As a further proof of the division in the party, even Oshiomhole’s loyalists do not seem to agree on whether Obaseki is the governor’s preferred candidate or not. While Anselm Ojezua, Edo APC Chairman denied that the governor would impose a candidate, the state Attorney – General and Commissioner for Justice, Henry Idahagbon actually confirmed the existence of one.
Ojezua said in an earlier interview, “The governor would never consider handpicking a candidate when he should be playing the role of an impartial arbiter in a most sensitive issue as a candidate to succeed him. All the over 20 candidates in the race are all Oshiomhole’s favourities,” he had said. But Idahagbon had actually confirmed in a later interview, that indeed the governor had thrown his weight behind Godwin Obaseki, who he said as an accountant, and a technocrat has what it takes to turn Edo economy around.
“People who keep saying Obaseki has no background and experience in politics easily forget that Babatunde Raji Fashola never had any experience before Bola Tinubu chose him to succeed him,” he blasted.
“Today, can anyone actually say his choice was wrong? Oshiomhole with due respect to the other candidates wants a man who can effectively manage the resources of the state especially in the light of current realities. He wants a man who would develop the economy to such levels, he won’t have to solely depend o Abuja for monies to run the state.
“With dwindling oil prices in the world market, Oshiomhole is looking ahead to the future and ensuring that only the best man with a firm grasp of the issues succeeds him.”
But Barrister Kenneth Imasuagbon, one of the most dreaded governorship candidates would not give credence to the rumours as he dismissed the idea of an imposition agenda.
“Oshiomhole has done very well and we regard him as a father. For the legacies he worked so hard to bequeath on Edo State not to be rubbished, he must work assiduously to ensure a free, fair and transparent primaries where only the best candidate would emerge,” Imasuagbon began in a chat in Benin.
“As an apostle of “one man, one vote,” Oshiomhole must be seen to be on the side of the people as they seek to elect a new leader to oversee their affairs in the next four years,” he said. But when reminded that the party had already zoned the position to Edo South, Imasuagbon blasted, “Who zoned what to who? See, I am not an apostle of zoning or tribe. Edo is one. For me, there’s no Edo South, Central or Edo North. All I think we have is the United State of Edo. Those who fan the embers of zoning are weak politicians who want to use the tribal trick to play our people ‘419’.
“My position therefore is, let the better man win. No, I don’t think Oshiomhole is supporting any so – called favourite candidate. Let me tell you this, all of us APC candidates gunning for the guber ticket are all Oshimohole’s favourites,” he added.
A new twist would however be added to the succession drama last week when reports of a purported quarrel over the list of delegates for the primaries hit the air waves. Party faithful were said to have ruled against a list of names allegedly manufactured to vote as delegates in the primaries. An aide to one of the contestants revealed that party members are concerned that they could be disenfranchised during the actual voting as unknown names feature prominently in the delegates list.
“The suspicions that the primaries could be rigged in favour of a particular candidate is gaining more currency each day especially in the light of these developments.
“We are worried that bonafide APC members could be jettisoned for mercenaries on the day of the primaries. It has not been proved but if that is the plan, then it would be a real tragedy,” he said.
