- Governor Obaseki
- Senator Matthew Urhoghide
- Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu
- Prince Clem Agba
The political gladiators are in the arena for the November 2024 governorship election in Edo State
Jethro Ibileke
On 12 November 2024, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state will hand over the baton of leadership to whoever is elected to succeed him, having completed two terms of four years each in the saddle. That is about a year and four months away. But, while the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is yet to announce a timetable for the crucial election, scores of aspirants, both the heavyweight and the featherweight across party lines are already jostling for the Edo top job.
The election is very important to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP (the incumbent ruling party), the major opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Labour Party, LP, the party currently making the waves across the length and breadth of the country. Considering the strategic location and position of Edo in the south-south geopolitical zone, the PDP will want to consolidate its grip on power in the state, while the APC will give whatever it will take to recapture the state it once dominated during the tenure of the former Governor Adams Oshiomhole. More so, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has vowed to ensure that his party regains the state.
Also, the national chairman of LP, Julius Abure, on Wednesday, 5 July, while interfacing with journalists in Benin, vowed to ensure that the party consolidates on its overwhelming success in the state during the 18 February national election by winning next year’s governorship election. Abure who hailed from Esan north-east local government area of the state, charged his party members to double up their support given the party at the 2024 governorship election in the state.”
The bulk of the prospective aspirants currently showing up is on the platform of the APC, and Edo Central senatorial district accounts for the highest number, for the reason that many expect that the next governor ought to emerge from among the Esan people of the district, being the only one yet to produce the governor. Below are the aspirants on the party by party basis.
Osarhiemen Osunbor: A professor of law and a two-time senator of the federal republic is the most experienced of the aspirants, having tasted the governorship seat for about a year and a half, before an election petition tribunal and an appellate court judgement sent him packing. He is a favourite contender if only his party would zone the governorship ticket to Edo Central.
Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma: The former member of the House of Representatives and Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) board member is from Edo South.
Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is a household name in the state and is not new to the game, having contested as the governorship candidate of both the PDP and the APC at different times. He is from Edo Central. He was once touted as having the endorsement of President Tinubu, a rumour that was vehemently denied by his camp.
Prince Clem Agba, an economist of no mean repute and immediate past minister of state for budget and national planning is believed to have the backing of the former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who had been grooming him for the job from long ago.
David Imuse: a medical doctor and a retired colonel in the army, is the current state chairman of the APC.
Senator Matthew Urhoghide who recently dumped the PDP, is still in a dilly-dally move. Although his body language indicates that he might pitch his tent with the APC, he is at the same time fraternizing with the Labour Party.
Other aspirants on the platform of the APC are Gideon Ikhine, Gideon Obhakhan, Victor Eboigbe, Joe Ikpea and Festus Ebea, a former two-time member of the state House of Assembly.
The biggest name of all the aspirants on the platform of the PDP is none other than the incumbent deputy governor of the state, Philip Shaibu. Although he has not for once made known his interest in the governorship race in the public, but, a tacit ‘call for service’ by traditional rulers and notable individuals from Edo north and his recent romance with his erstwhile political foe, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, is a strong indication.
Architect Mike Onolehmemen, a former minister of works is another strong contender, who is still keeping his ambition under wraps. Of course, many believe he stands a good chance to clinch the party’s ticket, being of Esan decent and the anointed candidate of the late leader of PDP, Tony Anenih.
Asuen Ighodalo: an economist, lawyer, and investment banker, is an ally of Governor Godwin Obaseki. He is believed to have the strong backing of the Governor.
Following the political movement that catapulted the Labour Party to national relevance during the last general elections, the party has become a bride being courted by many politicians.
Osaretin Ighile who could best be described as a political neophyte or green horn in Edo politics, is aspiring to fly the flag of the Labour Party during the forthcoming guber election. So also is the self-styled son of the oracle cleric of the Omega Fire Ministry, Pastor Azemhe Azena.
Perhaps the strongest contender for the ticket of the LP and the election itself is Barr. Kenneth Imasuagbon. Imasuagbon has over the years gained popularity for his yearly free rice distribution to the indigents during the yuletide. Imasuagbon is one man that has shown more consistency in aspiring to run for the governorship, from ACN to PDP, to APC, to PDP again, but now in LP. Unfortunately, he has not been successful in clinching the ticket of any of the parties.
Imasuagbon who recently dumped the PDP for the Labour Party, has always said that he has always been denied the right to the ticket of whichever party he contested by the godfathers who rigged the primaries in the favour of others. He has however boasted that if he eventually wins the LP ticket, he will humble the likes of Adams Oshiomhole and Governor Godwin Obaseki and take over the state.
Recently, he said: “All that I need is a free and fair primary election. With that, I will get the ticket for the party. By the time I get the ticket, it is over for the PDP and the APC. PDP is dead. I have taken the glory away. By 2024, the Labour Party will form a government in Edo state.
“My eyes are now opened and I have decided to take my case to God Almighty and the Edo people. I don’t want to put my case in the hands of the godfathers anymore. I am tired of the oppression of the godfathers, tired of the pain and deception; I want to now take my faith and destiny into God’s hand and the good people of Edo state. With God and Edo people, my 2024 is sure.”
Meanwhile, the Esan Okpa Initiative (EOI) and Esan Liberation Movement (ELM), have been at the forefront of the realization of the ‘Esan Agenda’ of ensuring that the region produces the next governor “in the interest of fairness, equity and justice”. The groups have held several meetings with stakeholders in Esan land, in Nigeria and the diaspora, in a bid to present a common front. Recently, they sent a high-powered delegation on a courtesy visit to the palace of the Benin Monarch, HRM, Oba Ewuare II, to solicit his support for the realization of the Esan governor project 2024.
The delegation made up of traditional rulers and prominent sons of Esan, was led by His Royal Highness, Anselm Aidenojie II (Onojie of Uromi); President, EOI, Barr. Matthew Egbadon. Aidenojie who spoke on their behalf, intimated the revered Monarch of the desire of the Esan nation to produce the next governor of the state. They told the Benin Monarch:
“We would like to seize this opportunity to formally apprise Your Majesty of the yearning and desire of the Esan people to produce the next Governor of Edo State at the end of the tenure of the present administration in 2024. We know that this is a matter primarily within the remit of politicians and political parties to decide on.
“We have started engaging the various political leaders across the political divide in the state on the need to have a Governor of Esan extraction at Osadebey Avenue come 2024. This will be in the interest of equity, fairness and justice which the Edo people are known for.
He continued: “Since the creation of Edo State in 1991, the statistics show that we have only had an Edo Governor of Esan extraction for about 18 months in the person of Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor. Cumulatively, our kith and kin in Edo South would have occupied the office for about 17 years by the end of the tenure of the present administration in 2024. While our kith and kin in Edo North have effectively occupied the seat for 8 years already.
“We are happy to report to Your Royal Majesty, that a considerable number of the political leaders and influentials we have consulted in the State, have supported our yearning and desire for an Edo Governor of Esan extraction come 2024. We will continue to engage a wide variety of political and other opinion moulders in our State to buy into and support this yearning in the interest of the unity of the Edo people.
“Though you are not a politician, we solicit Your Royal Majesty’s support and blessing for this yearning and desire of the Esan people. We give full assurance that we shall encourage and support our best Esan sons and daughters to contest the elections for the office of the Governor on the platforms of the various major political parties come 2024.”
As the events leading to the primary elections of the various political parties and the election proper unfold, the magazine is poised to serve you all the details.