In assessing the just concluded election results in Edo State, one thing which was always clear has become even clearer.
The Benin people are truly our big brothers in Edo State.
I salute you.
As 2024 approached, an Esan group, Esan okpa, led by a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Matthew Egbadon made the rounds to see every political ‘Iroko’ in Edo State to make a case for an Esan person to be given a chance to be the next governor.
The altruistic Statesman that he is, he did not want anything for himself.
He had a singular mission—to get an Esan man to Osadebey Road.
He paid an elaborate visit to His Royal Majesty to plead the cause of Esan.
When he believed his mission was concluded, he withdrew into his private work.
This is the hallmark of a true Statesman.
As the political season gained steam, PDP came up with an Esan candidate with Obaseki’s force of character.
Obaseki did not take any prisoners in the process.
I asked the question in an earlier essay last week Friday titled: “Edo 2024” on Egogonewshub: Could Obaseki have handled the emergence of Asue Ighodalo differently?
The outcome of the election proves that he could have.
He should have, as a matter of the imperative of Justice, Equity and Fair Play.
For example, having gotten the top of the ticket in Asue, why was he not magnanimous enough to offer the Deputy Governorship slot to the Legacy PDP faction of his Party as a gesture of unity?
Thusly, the Party hierarchy, low, middle, and especially the crème de la crème emptied out completely.
APC on the other hand almost missed the Bus of this election when Oshiomole backed a Benin man in Dennis Idahosa to be the candidate of the APC. It would have been fatal for the Party had juggernauts like General Cecil Esekhaigbe, and the indomitable Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu not wrestled Comrade to a standstill.
One thing we must give to the Comrade is the virtue of political sagacity. The man knows when he has been boxed into a corner.
In this case, he ‘allowed’ a new candidate to emerge in Senator Monday Okpebholo while his original candidate became Deputy.
That is political astuteness that he displayed for the sake of the greater good.
People must unite to win.
The PDP led by Obaseki’s “Ematon” spirit failed the Unity test.
They virtually went into this battle, a divided House.
What did Jesus have to say about that???
Obaseki has had his good run of mother luck.
Having being introduced to the Edo people by the Comrade who spoke for him, knelt down everywhere to beg on his behalf, and danced for him in 2016, it did not take long for them to fall out over Comrade’s perceived overlordship.
Obaseki did not like it. He did not want it.
Rightly so, but did he need to chase his erstwhile benefactor out of town?
Comrade went away, unbowed, only to return to battle in 2020 against Obaseki as he backed Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu at the time.
At the time, I wrote an article titled “Thunder over Edo State.”
Please google it and take a minute to refresh your memory.
The people of Edo State did not bite what the Comrade had to sell to them in 2020.
They threw their weight behind Obaseki’s second term ambition. They would not be pushed around by the Comrade. They basically told him: We love you, but no. Thanks.
2024 is the perfect obverse of 2020.
The people took a good look at Asue Ighodalo.
They loved him.
However, they did not like the sheer display of injustice and lack of magnanimity displayed by Obaseki in bringing him forth.
This victory of Senator Monday Okpebholo stands as a lesson of life on many levels.
- Unity is an imperative for victory.
- The race is not to the smartest or to the most qualified, but according to God.
- When you fight and you lose, you must get up, dust your boots, tie your shoe laces, fold up your sleeves, and get back in the ring of life.
- Humility is a great virtue.
- The Benin people know how to keep their word. They rejected Olumide Akpata who thought he could ride on tribal sentiments even when he knew that the Benin people had reached a gentleman’s consensus to yield for an Esan person.
It is therefore fitting to thank the Benin people for this great magnanimity that they have displayed by giving Oredo to an Esan man when a Benin man was also in the race.
In the end, Olumide Akpata did not take votes from any of the major candidates in this election.
I had written in my article titled “Edo 2024” on Egogonewshub that “Olumide did not show up on the Egogo radar for 2024.”
His candidacy was just plain wrong, and the Benin people don’t do that kind of Wrong.
By running against the tide of consensus, Olumide may have ruined future chances of the Labour Party in Edo State.
Now, what should Asue Ighodalo do?
Should he follow the traditional path of going to court?
Should he concede and beat a path away from Obaseki?
Should he make a run for the Senate seat which will soon be vacated by Senator Monday Okpebholo in order to establish his political ascendancy as the undisputed leader of the PDP in Edo State?
After all, now, he has a strong brand, and a strong name recognition.
In addition, he convincingly won a majority of votes in Esan land.
The people of Esan land will be glad to compensate him with that seat.
From there, he can begin to build a political career that could make him into a titan of politics in Edo State.
Whatever decision he makes now will determine whether he has come to be a full time politician who will be ready, and willing to unite his Party by constructing a big umbrella.
He must show the metal of which he is made and get ready to lead the PDP in Edo State to the next battle, wherever and whenever that would be.
The biggest mistake Asue can make now is for him to take a bow and return to Lagos.
He would not be viewed with much respect if he did that because his foray would be seen as opportunistic.
In the final analysis, we at Egogonewshub congratulate the newly minted Governor-Elect, Senator Monday Okpebholo.
May he have listening ears, and may he pilot our dear State to the road that leads to Eldorado.
To our big brothers, the Benins, on behalf of Esan people at home and in the diaspora———Thank you.
I am on my knees as I hail:
Oba gha to kpere!!!! Iseé.
Michael Ovienmhada.
Let me comment on “what should Ighodalo do?”. It’s obvious that Asue Ighodalo feels cheated in the Gubal election and the immediate option for him is to go to court where he can find justice. You may say the judiciary is also controlled by the federal might. Yes, that is true, but it is the last hope of the ordinary man like Asue Ighodalo in the case of the Edo State election. Who knows, there could be a judge somewhere in Nigeria that will insist on doing justice despite the mighty power controlling it. I strongly recommend that Asue Ighodalo goes to court and seek redress.
But my worry is that: is this how we will continue in this country?
Unfortunately, this is how it’s gonna be for a long time to come. Sadly.
I want good governance for Nigeria and Nigerians, but l have very serious doubt if APC as a Party can produce credible leaders, APC is a cancer, anything APC touches becomes cancerous, l wish edolites the best. If lghodalo decides to go to court,so be it, it is abnormal to go to Court, my love goes to Olumide Apata, he should recontest again. Best regards.