As the stake gets higher in the leading political parties with the main power brokers and influencers involved in intense intrigues over who picks the governorship ticket for the 2024 governorship election, IDAHOSA MOSES writes on the pedigree of the aspirants:
BARRING any last-minute change, the three major parties: All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) for the 2024 governorship election in Edo State, would by February 23 conclude their primaries. The chaff would have been removed from the wheat; the contenders separated from the pretenders in the ongoing rat race among major gladiators. This is because it is no longer news that more than 50 aspirants across the three senatorial districts of the state are jostling for the seat of power at Osadebe Avenue with the mission to succeed Governor Godwin Obaseki, on November 12.
The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), as of the last count, parades more than 30 aspirants contestants. The names include the tested and untested; old breed and new entrants. The list comprises: Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, General Charles Airhiavbere, Professor Oserhiemen Osunbor, Honourable Johnson Agbonnayinma, Honourable Clem Agba, Lucky Imasuen, Honourable Joseph Ikpea and others. In terms of number of aspirants, the Labour Party (LP) is the second most populated as the party has Kenneth Imasuangbon, Olumide Akpata, Dorry Okolie, Pastor Azena Azemhe and others.
Among the main contenders are: Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, General Charles Airhiavbere (retd), Professor Oserhiemen Osunbor, Barrister Kenneth Imasuangbon, Dr Asue Ighodalo, Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu. Others are Barrister Olumide Akpata, Barrister Anslem Ojezua, Honourable Sergius Ogun, Honourable Clem Agba, David Imuse, Honourable Felix Akhabue, Honourablee Dekeri Sunday Anamero, Honourable Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma, Gideon Obhakhan.
Philip Shaibu (PDP)
Philip Shaibu is the deputy governor of Edo State and one of the top contenders for the governorship position. He is a native of Jattu in Edo North Senatorial District. Prior to his election as a deputy governor, he was a member of the House of Representatives, representing Etsako Federal Constituency in the 4th national assembly. He was also a former member of the Edo State House of Assembly representing Etsako West II constituency and spent eight years in the house. He was one time president, Nigerian Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) between 2000 and 2001. He is one of the first aspirants to purchase expression of interest and nomination forms.
Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu (APC)
Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is an astute politician and a native of Iguododo village in Edo South Senatorial District. He sowed a seed of his political activism long ago during his university days as a vibrant member of the Student Union Congress and was highly instrumental to the election of several presidents and executive members of the Student Union. That experience proved vital as he became one of the operational planks that saw to the election of Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion, as the then Chairman of Oredo Local Government Council, Benin City, in 1983, under the zero party system. After his sojourn into private legal practice and business, he was appointed as the Chief of Staff, Government House, Edo State, under the administration of Mr. Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion, Executive Governor of Edo State. He was also appointed as Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
He was the Director General of Oshiomhole’s 2nd term Campaign Organisation. He was also the Coordinator of Goodluck/Sambo Campaign Organisations then as PDP member Ize-Iyamu contested the governorship position twice with PDD and APC and lost the two elections to the current governor of the state, Mr. Godwin Obaseki 2016 and 2020 respectively. He is one of the most experienced in Edo presently
Asue Ighodalo (PDP)
Asue Ighodalo is a lawyer and financial expert. He is from Okaigben in Ewohimi town, Edo Central senatorial district. It is the district that is agitating for zoning of the governorship position. The argument is that the district has not produced a governor for the state since the return to democracy in Nigeria. The astute financial expert was instrumental in Senator Adams Oshiomhole’s administration in Edo. He has been in government over the years and he is the Chairman of the yearly Alaghodaro Summit. Speaking on source of his inspiration to contest, given his professional background, coupled with the immense financial benefits and rewards, he said: “It is a tough decision but if your love for your people supersedes your interest, and it is not a cliche, there’s no company in which I sit on the board that employs 5.2 million people. Edo State has over 5.2 million, so as the governor of Edo state I can positively impact the life of 5.2 million. There is no company that affects people directly. So I have the capability to do many things for many more people. I have been blessed by God Almighty. And I think that in all honesty, if as a human being you are thinking of legacy, you have been blessed, some of those blessings, you must put it to use especially in an environment where many others are not so blessed.” Ighodalo says he realizes the challenge posed by resources needed to lead a state like Edo and that he believes he is up to the task ahead. He noted: “I don’t have any problem in stretching money, or borrowing money, the issue really is what you use the borrowed money for. If you borrow money for capital expenditure, that is not a problem. If you use borrowed money for wasteful and recurrent expenditure, that is the problem. The problem we’ve had as a country is that a lot of times we use earned money, borrowed money on wasteful recurrent expenditure. So, I am clear in mind that we will borrow money and Edo State has the capacity to borrow money but for proper capital expenditure that would build value and create an economy as the first world economy. Number two, we will create an Edo State that attracts even more investment sources so as to strengthen the base of our economy and bring direct investment flow.”
Within the short spell he threw his hat into the ring, Ighodalo has received the endorsement of prominent individuals and groups. The chairman of the Edo Central PDP Special Committee, Chief Tom Ikimi, recently gave reasons Ighodalo, was chosen as the district’s sole aspirant for party’s primary following his overwhelming support from co-aspirants and stakeholders in the district. The former minister said the committee met and interacted with the aspirants in the zone with a view to screening and recommending the best choice for the senatorial caucus for adoption. He gave the names of the seven aspirants who met with the committee as: Senator Clifford Ordia, Honourable John Yakubu, Ambassador Martin Uhumoibhi, Honourable Friday Itulah, Barrister Anselm Ojezua, Barrister Asue Ighodalo and Honourable Marcus Onobun. Ikimi said that Honourable Felix Akhabue, who was not part of the seven aspirants, sent an apology to the committee saying he was in the northern part of the country at that time. He narrated: “On January 4, 2024, the Committee had its second meeting with the aspirants. The aspirants present were: Honorable Friday Itulah, Senator Clifford Ordia, Honourable John Yakubu, Hon Felix Akhabue, Barrister Asue Ighodalo, Honourable Kenneth Abhulimen, Ambassador Martins Uhomoibhi and Barrister Anselm Ojezua.”
Charles Airhiavbere (APC):
Major General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd) is from Agbodo Community in Edo South. He came into political limelight in 2012, when he contested the governorship election against Comrade Oshiomhole and others, under the flagship of the PDP. He later defected to the APC, and since then held several administrative positions in the country. He is considered to be among the serious aspirants for the seat at Osadebe Avenue, the seat of power in Edo. He is said to have purchased expression of interest and nomination forms of the APC.
Kenneth Imasuangbon (LP)
Popularly known as ‘Riceman’, Kenneth Imasuangbon is a household name in Edo State politics. The former member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the build up to the 2024 Edo guber race, moved to the Labour Party (LP) to pursue his current bid. He hails from Edo Central senatorial district.
Olumide Akpata (LP)
The former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata (SAN), is a political debutant and hails from Edo Southt. Many political observers believe that the Labour aspirant parades an intimidating credentials and pedigree. Others say he faces a Herculean Task in his bid to govern the state.
Ogbemudia Bassey Osagie (LP)
He is an aspirant on the platform of the Labour Party. Ogbemudia Bassey Osagie, has been vocal on his plans if he eventually becomes governor. He is seriously worried about the rising cases of cult violence in the state and assured that if elected, he would use employment generation to stop cult related killings in the state. He noted: “Behind every crime, there is a social underpin. The young people today are killing themselves through cultism, they are doing that because they have no hope, they have no education, they have no training and our law enforcement agencies are not doing their jobs. The government is not doing its bit. But what I will do as governor is to start from the basic, which is educate our young people; change our curriculum to make sure that education is not just about knowledge, it is about providing tools and empowerment for our youths so that they learn vocation then we can grow back our middle class.”
Anslem Ojezua (PDP)
He is a native of Irrua in Edo Central. He was Edo State chairman of the APC before he defected with Obaseki to the PDP. He says he is the stabiliser and a bridge between technocrats and politicians and that he has the experience and capacity to bring all the warring factions in the PDP together and win the election for the party.
Clem Agba (APC)
Prince Clem Agba, who is from Uzanu in Edo North. He was a commissioner during the eight years of Governor Oshiomhole and was later appointed as the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning in the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Dennis Idahosa (APC)
Honourable Dennis Idahosa is from Edo South. He is a second term member of the House of Representatives representing Ovia Federal Constituency. His reputation soared when he defeated the daughter of the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, Omosede, in 2019 who was the then member representing the area in the House of Representatives. He defeated her again as the candidate of the PDP in 2023. A former Special Adviser on Environment and Public Utilities to former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Mr. Frank Adegbudo, believes Idahosa remains the best material to give APC a better chance of winning the 2024 election. Adegbudo, an APC leader in Esan South-East Local Government Area of the state, said Idahosa is a house name across the nooks and crannies of the state due to his record of performance as a member of the House of Representatives. He further claimed: “It is only Idahosa out of the all aspirants in Edo South that delivered his polling unit, ward, local government and constituency for President Tinubu and All Progressives Congress (APC).” He noted that in spite of the resistance of the state government to win at all costs, Idahosa was the only person that also delivered for the APC senatorial candidate and himself. According to him, “If we are talking about structure, Idahosa already has this across the state. He has prepared himself and worked tirelessly these past years to position him for this moment. He remains the only person that can defeat Obaseki and his political machines among the array of aspirants jostling for the APC ticket. His performance within a short spell in the National Assembly has become a reference point across the state and even the state government has not been able to match this in Ovia federal constituency.” Osagie said zoning should not be used as a yardstick for the APC ticket, stressing that, “At this point, what the party needs is someone with the capacity, appeal and ability to wrestle power from the PDP and not the issue of zoning.”
Victor Eboigbe (APC):
Mr Victor Eboigbe is a leader of the APC from Ewohimi in Edo Central.
Oserhiemen Osunbor (APC):
Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, who is from Edo Central, was governor of the state for 18 months before his administration was nullified by the courts in 2008 to give way for Oshiomhole. He is arguably one of the most experienced aspirants having been in the Senate for eight years before he became governor. His 18 months aborted reign was the only time Edo Central occupied the Government House in the history of Edo.
David Imuse (APC)
Colonel David Imuse (retd) is the state chairman of the APC and he is from Ekpoma in Esan, Edo Central Senatorial District. He was the state vice chairman, Edo Central before he was unanimously appointed Acting Chairman of the APC when Ojezua left
Victoria Amu (APC)
Dr Victoria Amu is the only woman that has so far indicated interest in the race on the platform of the APC. She is an Occupational Therapist from Owan in Edo North. She has been in the party for a long time and she was an aspirant for the state House of Assembly until the party decided that the 14 lawmakers that were not sworn in should be given automatic tickets.
Sunday Anamero (APC):
Honourable Anamero Sunday popularly called DANCO is from Okpella in Etsako East LGA in Edo North. He is currently the member representing Etsako Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
Monday Okpebholo (APC):
Senator Monday Okpebholo is the senator representing Edo Central. He hails from Uromi, in his first foray into competitive politics, he won the APC senatorial ticket.
Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma (APC):
Mr Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma from Edo South was the first aspirant to formally inform the state leadership of the party of his intention to contest. He represented Ikpoba-Oka/Ego Federal constituency in the House of Representatives.
