Lessons from Edo Guber Elections

The glaring lessons from the September 19, 2020 Edo state gubernatorial election are as thought-provoking as they are shocking.

The memorable outcome – a sad loss of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – has thrown up a new narrative and given some hope to the electorate that the power of the ballot is the power of the people. Interestingly, the Edo electoral tsunami came at a time when the confidence of Nigerians in the electoral process had waned considerably, given questionable results of previous exercises. Such shortcomings in the past have made Nigerians to wonder aloud whether their votes count during elections. It’s unfortunate that through legal technicalities, election results had in not too distant past been nullified with finality, often denying the popular choice mandate to serve.

The contest may have come and gone but its memories cannot go away in a hurry, given the role played by the former Chairman of the APC, Mr Adams Oshiomhole in the entire gamut. The predecessor to Incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki, Oshiomhole, veered into politics after serving as the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in 2007. He also served as the General Secretary of the Textiles Workers and Garments Union, a sector which used to provide employment for thousands – if not millions – for Nigerians in the good-old-days. Sadly enough this critical sector is now comatose.

The textile industry was what launched Oshiomhole into prominence. However, his political ascendancy owes much to the role he played as president of the NLC. Though a great negotiator and formidable labour leader, his days in active politics have become turbulent, making political observers to suggest his days in the APC are numbered. As a politician considered by his supporters as a cat with nine lives, Oshiomhole is at crossroads. To compound the odds against him, there exist certain strong forces in the APC, totally at loggerheads with him. They want him out of the way probably because he had stepped on many toes while serving as National Chairman of APC.

As the standard bearer of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) who had lost to Professor Oserheimen Osunbor in the polls, Oshiomhole challenged the result of the governorship poll in the Court of Appeal and Professor Osunbor’s victory was upturned in November 2008, thereby paving way for Oshiomhole to mount the coveted seat. For the eight years that he served as governor, he waged war against what has come to be known today as godfathersim, boasting that he would retire godfathers and deadwoods from Edo politics. Late strongman of Edo politics, Chief Anthony Anenih and former APC chairman, John Oyegun, became towering casualties of Oshiomhole’s war against godfatherism. Like a fairytale, the Edo people had watched Oshiomhole in dismay, when he emerged the godfather of Obaseki, after imposing him on the people.

Governor Obaseki had hardly settled down to business, when ‘the marriage of convenience’ between him and his godfather broke down. The bad blood in their relationship was not about providing good governance but was all about who controls the public treasury and the sharing formula, a coinage very common in government circles. Before long hell was let loose, as godson and godfather started attacking each other verbally, and they parted ways. Yesterday’s godson painted angel, has suddenly become a devil and yesterday’s devil has become an angel. A bewildered Edo nation watched in total disbelief the feud between the duo. The fallout led to what is believed to be protest vote that swept away Pastor Ize-Iyamu.

‘Godwin Obaseki of the PDP, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of votes, is hereby declared the winner, and returned elected”, announced the chief returning officer of the electoral umpire, proving book makers who had predicted that the outcome would go the way of APC’s Ize-Iyamu, wrong. The Edo 2020 election, if anything, became a watershed and an interesting game changer for both the electorate and Nigerian politicians – that elections can be won without bloodletting, vote buying and other factors associated with rigging. Even though in Etsako Central Local Government Area an official of INEC was shot, – with a few other skirmishes in one or two other areas – it is fair to say that the exercise was relatively hitch-free, fair and credible, contrary to predictions that it would be war. Given all the mudslinging and hate speech that dominated and characterized the campaign in the run up to the elections, many believed that the state would be on fire.

About 25.2% of registered voters were on hand to exercise the right of franchise. Out of a total of the 2,210,534 million registered voters, about 483,000 received their voters’ cards, leaving behind about 1.7million registered voters. Records show that only 537,407 voters participated in the exercise. Governor Obaseki of the PDP polled 307,955 to beat his closest opponent, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the APC, who scored 223,619 votes. Obaseki won with a margin of 84,336.

President Buhari in the spirit of sportsmanship was the first from the camp of the APC to congratulate Governor Obaseki, Iyamu’s reluctance, notwithstanding. This was followed by the Chairman of APC National Caretaker Committee, Governor Mai Mala Buni’s directive to Oshiomhole and other party chieftains in Edo to formerly congratulate Obaseki. Buni met with Buhari, following which he urged APC members in Edo to take the result of the election in good fate and prepare for the forthcoming Ondo governorship polls.

Political pundits believe that the Edo governorship election was determined by some factors among which was Oshiomhole’s sacking of Obaseki from the APC. Oshiomhole saw himself as the Alfa and Omega of Edo politics. As National Chairman of APC Oshiomhole had dictated the tune and frustrated a good number of prominent members of the party, not only in the state but in the country as a whole.

During the campaign Oshiomhole and his new godson, Ize-Iyamu, failed to carry along some highly influential members of the party both at the state and local government levels, boasting that they would win the election without them. This was further aggravated by the ‘Edo no be Lagos’ refrain. So when the National Leader of the APC, Chief Bola Tinubu, in his highly publicized message to the Edo people to reject PDP’s Obaseki ‘because he is not a democrat, ‘the die was cast’ and the rest is now history.

In the final analysis, Governor Obaseki must know that he carries a moral burden and responsibility to prove to the Edo people that they did not make a wrong choice. He is now the man of the moment basking in the glory of victory, jubilating and celebrating. However, with all the euphoria surrounding his victory, it is hoped that the governor would hit ground running to provide dividends of democracy for the masses. Furthermore, and now that politicking and electioneering are over, it is expected that the governor would not hesitate to marshal out programmes and policies that should give the lives of Edo people a meaning.