Edo guber: Factors that helped Oshiomhole to win.

Written by Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

The declaration of re-elected Governor of Edo, Adams Oshiomhole did not come to many Nigerians and in particular his admirers by surprise. In fact, some of them expected it, though many of them were gripped by a level of trepidation. However, with the build-up of political events few days before the election, the trepidations began to wane especially as more and more political big wigs showed body languages in support of the governor in addition to the swelling army of foot soldiers including market women, students and workers queuing behind him.

True to some political permutation, Oshiomhole humiliated the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Gen. Charles Ehigie Airhiavbere (rtd) as he raked in 477, 478 leaving Airhiavbere struggling behind with 144, 235 votes to place second. 

Since the announcement of the results, Oshiomhole supporters are opining that the victory has confirmed the governor’s control and the supremacy of his party in the state.

 Several factors have been adduced for Oshiomhole’s victory. These include power of incumbency, reward for hard work, overwhelming popularity, instrument of propaganda, mass revolt against the PDP resulting in sympathy vote for Oshiomhole’s Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) among others. 

This is in addition to Oshiomhole’s ability to handle the controversy surrounding the clamour for him to drop his deputy, Pius Odubu in the 2012 governorship election to settle political scores. 

Analysts believe that Oshiomhole was able to harness heavy voted due to the efforts of his administrations towards massive development projects in the state. It is believed that the on-going projects initiated by the administration led the people to support Oshiomhole believing that his continuous stay would guarantee their completions.

 After the first two years in office as governor, Oshiomhole realised that he does not need to go through the learning curve again after providing the needed strategy to support the deposition of the leadership of the PDP led State House of Assembly who were atavistic over ascendancy to power as a threat and dictatorial. 

However, the change they were never prepared for occurred in February 2010 when the former Speaker, Barr. Zakawanu Garuba of the PDP was impeached thereby paving the way for the ACN to consolidate on the victory it secured from the Appeal Court rulings which either nullified the elections of some PDP members wrongly declared by the Independent National electoral Commission (INEC) or ordering for a re-run election which came in favour of ACN.

 Also, the alleged inability for the state leadership of PDP to settle the internal crises in the party due to alleged selfish interest to satisfy certain individuals also pave a way for ACN to have upper hand as it weakened the PDP and its candidates ahead of the election.

 In what appears as to be a deliberate attempt to unsettle the “seen and unseen forces” working against his re-election, Oshiomhole’s handlers stood against moves by INEC to embark on continuous voter registration exercise, which many of them felt would not be in the best interest of the ACN.

 Consequently, a day before the process kicked off, Oshiomhole’s supporters joined him to hit the street in a protest march to INEC headquarters in Benin where he spoke against describing it as a PDP agenda and ploy to manipulate the election. Oshiomhole had in the protest march assured that he would not allow such.

He recalled that in Adamawa, Kebbi, Kogi and Cross River states where INEC had conducted gubernatorial elections, the commission had either suspended the exercise arising from the alleged acrimony or controversial grounds or register at designated local government headquarters. His assertion was melted with accusation and counter accusations by PDP.

 Oshiomhole’s pedigree has also earned him the support of workers and labour unions as well as those of the ordinary people, many of who came out in great numbers  for the election despite the rains to give the PDP a bloody nose.

 The PDP sunk further when many people in the state linked the candidate to the waning apron string of godfathers, who critics believe were no longer calling the shot in the state. The PDP candidate, they felt relied heavily on such big wigs and the people appeared to had decided to throw do away with them and the party.

 However, shortly after the announcement of his victory on Sunday, Oshiomhole admitted that the PDP candidate raised the stakes ahead of the polls. This is especially connected with use of ethnic politics which made him become closer to the traditional institution for spiritual help.

 Instead of subtracting from Oshiomhole, it added to his political fortunes. This is because the voting pattern in all the 192 wards which were in favour of ACN appears unidirectional and it defied all form of ethnic and political colouration. Probably, this will be the first time in the history of the state the people voted across primordial sentiment.

 Apart from being a reputable driver of the party, Oshiomhole excelled, unlike PDP, which was seen as lacking in an enigmatic character as leader in the state, who could be used as a rallying point for development and execution of political strategies.

 Also, it is believed that this is the factor that enabled the governor, who is set for another four years in office to penetrate the PDP ranks as the members sought endlessly for a figure to rally around as many of them were said not to accept the leadership imposed on them.

 Political observers see the emergence of Oshiomhole in his first and second coming as watersheds in the political history of the state as it demystified the legacy of key political godfathers in the state especially Chief Tony Anenih, who has been known as Mr. Fix-it based on his famed ability to help impose leaders on the state in favour of his party, the PDP since the return of democracy in 1999.

In the general elections held in April last year, Anenih led the PDP to prove that he was a force to reckon with when the Party won all the seats in the Senatorial District except in the House of Assembly seat in Esan South which was won by the ACN.

 His fame started falling like a paper castle when Oshiomhole won in the Appeal Court leading to the removal of the then PDP governor Oserheimen Osunbor. 

It has also been argued that the PDP candidate, Airhiavbere, who is seen as a green horn in Nigerian politics would not have scored up to 100, 000 votes, but for the sympathy he cultivated from the people of Edo South Senatorial District whose votes accounted for over 51 percent of those he got.

 The fallout of the grooming that followed the PDP primaries on February 25 held in favour of Charles Airhiavbere has been seen as many as one of the factors that dealt a fatal blow on the PDP. This is because virtually all the people who worked for the party never got the support of the delegates who gave their support for the highest bidder.  

The aggrieved aspirants, who lost including the former governor of the state, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere who had then just defected from PDP to ACN, Mathew Iduroriyeklemwen and Barr. Kenneth Imasuagbon insisted the lacking of fair play which many said further exposed the alleged lack of internal democracy in the PDP. 

In fact, some of the aspirants including Prof. Osubor openly canvassed support for Oshiomhole’s re-elected during the campaign visit of the later to the hometown of the former at Iruekpen, Esan West local Government area of the state.  

Since his declaration as winner, Oshiomhole has been receiving series of congratulatory messages from Nigerians and institutions including President Goodluck Jonathan and other highly placed persons within the PDP. 

It is hoped that the governor will reciprocate by giving the people purposeful leadership in the next four years.