As the July 14, 2012 governorship election approaches in Edo State, Governor Adams Oshiomhole will be testing his political might again with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).His assumption of office as governor in 2008, after a protracted legal battle, has changed the politics of the state. Ahead of the election, Oshiomhole recently got the endorsement of the leadership of his party, the ACN, for second term and also that of chairmen of the party in the 18 local government councils of the state.
The revered Benin monarch, Oba Erediauwa, equally commended him for his developmental efforts and tacitly expressed his support for his second term ambition.
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, visited the palace of the Oba of Benin, during which he solicited the support of the Oba towards the re-election of Oshiomhole. While responding, the monarch recalled:”The last time you were in my palace, it was with the governor (Adams Oshiomhole), who then was your president.
Since then, he (Oshiomhole) has gone on to what he is today, and he has transformed the state. The rest all of you can see. Labour has offered a lot in the past and I ask you to continue being good ambassadors of the people”. Apart from that occasion , Erediuwa has persistently commended the governor while urging ACN members to reciprocate the support Oshiomhole gave during their own elections by ensuring that he was voted back to office.
Though the PDP is strategizing on how to oust the governor from office, it seems he has been able to endear himself to the hearts of the people through his developmental strides across the three senatorial districts of the state. So far, some persons have indicated interest under the PDP to battle Oshiomhole in the guber election.
Amongst them is the former governor of the state, Prof.Osarhiemen Osunbor, who was ousted by the Appeal Court ruling. Others include the former Commander, Corps of Army Finance and Accounts of the Nigerian Army, Maj.Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, Prof.Julius Ihonbvere, Barr.Ken Imasuagbon and a presenter with the African Independent Television (AIT), Mr Jacob Idinye.
However, Oshiomhole’s popularity continued to grow in the wake of the construction of roads, hospitals, schools, beautification and other developmental projects which the PDP failed to achieve while in power in Edo. As a matter of fact, the PDP credibility problem took the upswing when the people saw that development was possible in the state after all.
It was not surprising, therefore, that the comrade governor bagged four awards within a space of three weeks recently. The awards include the Leadership Newspapers ‘Governor of the Year’ and Nigerian Union of Teachers’ (NUT) ‘Best Governor’s Award’ for his outstanding contributions to the development of the education sector as well as his commitment to enhancing the welfare of teachers.
He also won the Nigeria Social Enterprise Report and Awards (the SERAs-Nigeria CSR 2011 Awards) for his strides in education, healthcare and infrastructural development which constitute the core areas of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Etsako Club 81 Award of Excellence during the activities marking the 30th anniversary of the club. With awards such as these coming when the governor is celebrating his third year in office, come November 12, 2011, it is a clear declaration that he is battle ready for the 2012 poll.
While giving an insight into how he intends to defeat the PDP in the forthcoming poll when over one hundred members of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) defected to the ACN, Oshiomhole declared: “ACN represents progressive movement because it is about service rather than sharing opportunities, it is about challenges and not sharing. The dream we all share is our state must be rebuilt and our people regain their pride of place. Thank you for reinforcing our strength and the 2012 politics will be defined by issues and development.
People will vote on the basis of what they have seen and know and we will remind them of those who destroyed our dream”. He added: “ACN is a political movement for change and sustainable development. As members from one of the oldest parties in the state, join us to redefine politics and governance in our state. You have taken the right decision and we assure that you will not regret”.
The governor disclosed that his government “is determined to remain focused and play politics of development in which the people come first, second and third as against the regime when the godfather come first, second and third and when the godfather gets richer and the people get poorer”. Oshiomhole’s camp was also boosted with the entry of Henry Idahagbon, a former member of the National Executive Council of the PDP; and the former Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Nosa Adams, and their supporters into the ACN.
However, the issue of who becomes the governor’s running mate has been a subject of controversy as some leaders of the ACN, led by the South South Vice-Chairman, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, have kicked against any move to pick the current deputy governor, Dr Pius Odubu. That is why despite all the endorsements of the governor, his deputy has failed to receive the support of the leaders, which is an indication that Oshiomhole may source for another deputy.
And tactically, the governor has remained neutral in the factional war between loyalists of the deputy governor and those of Ize-Iyamu. newsmen gathered that he displayed his neutrality during a recent meeting with national and state assemblies members, when two lawmakers at the meeting openly described the rancor as regards the deputy governorship issue as unnecessary and urged Oshiomhole to pick the incumbent since he and Odubu have enjoyed a cordial relationship.
It was however learnt that the governor became furious and asked the lawmakers to stop causing confusion in the party since the reason for the meeting had nothing do with the issue of deputy governorship. He urged them to stay off the matter and allow the leadership of the party to make the decision at the appropriate time. However, while appreciating the awards bestowed on him by Etsako Club 81, Oshiomhole said: “This honor has shown that a prophet can be honored by his own people. I appreciate the honor by your award.
In 2003, I was given an award obviously for causing so much trouble for the government of the day and I told my wife (late Clara) that should I ever do it and arrested, tell them the people encouraged me to do so and I am being awarded by that. I am humbled at our modest contributions to the development of Edo State including Etsako land. That prophets are not appreciated at home is no longer true. I like to dedicate this award to my late wife whose support is unquantifiable.
I like to remember her on this occasion for her commitment and encouragement. I also want to dedicate this award to the very ordinary people; men and women across the three senatorial districts because they voted for me not on the account of my place of birth but because of my antecedents at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Many people emphasize the infrastructural developments in the state by this administration but, to me, the most achievement is the restoration of the peoples’ confidence that only them alone can entrench genuine democracy; One Man, One Vote. And that the son of a cassava farmer can rise to become anything that God has destined him to be.”
He added: “My story in government is that only God can determine the life and success of a man not any godfather. When a society runs a system where only one man decides if vacancy exists or not, that society cannot grow. Development cannot occur by miracle but in the realm of entrenching One man, One Vote. Without the fear of the electorate, good governance is impossible”.
Also in a paper entitled, “2011 elections: A post mortem”, at his investiture as the ‘Governor of the Year’ by the Leadership Newspapers, Oshiomhole appreciated the newspaper group for the award which he noted would further spur him to do more for the society. The governor, who took the audience through the nation’s democratic journey since 1999, insisted that only credible polls can guarantee the future of the country.
While acknowledging that the 2011 elections were not perfect, he, however, submitted that the exercise recorded a substantial improvement over those of 2007. To sustain democracy, Oshiomhole posited that key players must be mindful of their utterances, while there is need for the overhauling of the Independent National Electoral Commission to make it a truly unbiased umpire.
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