Edo Governorship Election Result: A Clear Reflection Of The Will Of The People
By Eseosa Ewere
…a repeat of the exercise, again and again, Obaseki will still win
The just-concluded Edo State gubernatorial election and the attendant victory recorded by Gov. Godwin Obaseki and the PDP undoubtedly reveals the collective position of Edo people
It is unarguably true that the APC had through some of its sponsors, principal of which was Capt. Hosa Okunbor bought over many PDP footsoldiers to the APC with promises of juicy political appointments, elective offices, contracts, overseas trips if the APC wins the keenly-contested poll
While the APC exhibited desperation to empty their treasury, sharing monies ranging from N3,000, N4,500, N5,000, N7,000 and N10,000 to voters last Saturday, Godwin Obaseki, haven performed beyond popular expectations in the last three and half years banked on his excellent performance to win the contest; it is on record that voters collected monies from the APC but voted the PDP massively
It was easy for Edo people to rally behind Gov. Godwin Obaseki following the inhuman treatment mented on him by the Oshiomhole-controlled APC screening committee in the build-up to the election; “I know I wasn’t going to get justice”, Obaseki admitted after the crass and unprofessional disqualification by the sacked National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole
From that very point, Obaseki won the Sept. 19 election irrespective of the Party he chose to run; the Edo State Governor, joining the already-established PDP made the process a smooth one
The Edo State Governorship election can best be described as a veritable tool for re-shapening, retooling and re-engineering Nigeria’s democratic space which suffices in deciding the outcome of the 2023 presidential election as PDP warms up to take back the centre
A bloodless revolutionary movement at getting things right has just sparked up in our nation’s heartbeat (Edo State); whether Nigeria’s political vehicle is reset or not depends largely on how far the Nigerian community can sustain the Edo struggle
With Ondo election scheduled for October, though with different peculiarity from Edo, it is expected that the people Of Ondo State, like Edo, would want to extricate themselves from the godfather syndrome and as such vote massively for the PDP as Bola Tinubu is seen to be still very popular and strong within the rank and file of the APC which is the ruling party in the Sunshine State
Anyone contesting or challenging the outcome of Edo election is either gunning to further enrich himself or embark on a mere academic exercise; Edo governorship election result clearly reflects the will and resolve of the people and if it would have to be repeated again and again, Gov. Godwin Obaseki will still win
I had earlier said prior to the election that APC would not get “one vote” in Ikpoba-Okha LGA where I come from, the margin with which the PDP trashed the APC totaling 22,812 in that locality with near similar margins in other LGAs is a test statement of Edo people’s readiness to re-elect Godwin Obaseki; the APC would be increasingly embarrassed should the election be re-conducted
Godwin Obaseki represents the new phase of politicians our Country is in dire need of, one exhibiting transparency, with open-door policies, with a robust financial management skill, a level-headed political office holder with a listening ear to the plight of the people, an enthusiastic, resourceful, creative, disciplined, innovative persona in search of the most advance managerial tools to run government
Indeed, Edo has chosen, and are very confident of the choice they have made, and any attempt to usurp the will of the people through distractive legal means will be frontally resisted; as Godwin Obaseki recharges Edo’s economy, it is expected that his second term will be institution-driven, towards solidifying our nation’s democratic institutions for increased good governance and people-oriented political system