Who governs Edo State from 12 November, this year?
From 8:30 am (Saturday), 2.2 million voters with Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) choose among 17 candidates who will step into the office to be vacated by Mr. Godwin Obaseki, who will have completed his two term of four years each as the state governor.
But there are three candidates who are frontrunners. From the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which governs the state at the moment, emerged corporate lawyer and businessman, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, who intends to build on the achievement of the incumbent.
The All Progressives Congress (APC), which produced Obaseki in 2020, but saw him switched to the PDP in June 2020 to seek re-election, is fielding Senator representing Edo North district, Monday Okpebholo. He is a businessman.
The third force is the Labour Party (LP), which is ridding on the wave of last year’s presidential election that it won in the state. Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Olumide Akpata is flying the flag of the party.
Both Ighodalo and Akpata are running for public office for the first time.
Only the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) is fielding a female candidate, Mrs. Patience Key Ndidi, who is a health professional and entrepreneur.
Also on the ballot are:
- Iyere Kennedy – Accord Party (A)
- Iseghohi Tom – Action Alliance (AA)
- David Udoh Oberaifo – African Action Congress (AAC)
- Derek Izedonmwen Osarenren– Africa Democratic Congress (ADC)
- Kingson Akhimie Afeare – Action Democratic Party (ADP)
- Isaiah Osifo – All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)
- Odaro Ugiagbe– Allied Peoples Movement (APM)
- Amos Areloegbe – Action Peoples Party (APP)
- Edeipo Osiariame – Boot Party (BP)
- Friday Azemhe Azena – New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)
- Abdulai Anerua Aliu – Social Democratic Party (SDP)
- Paul Okungbowa Ovbokhan – Young Progressives Party (YPP)
- Akhalamhe Amiemenoghena – Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)
The Police have restricted movement outside polling unit areas from 6 am to 6 pm.
APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Mr. Peter Uwadiae told The PUNCH that his party was ready for the election.
He said: “Our campaign shows our readiness. We have done that which the law allows us to do and our campaign was issue-based. As a party, I can confirm that we are ready. Our fear is that one of the persons who killed the police officer at the Benin Airport is roaming freely and we hear he is in Edo Central mobilising for trouble and distorting the election, while other PDP leaders are also doing the same in Edo South”.
While expressing readiness for the election, the Deputy Director General of Media for the PDP candidate, Dr. Pedro Obaseki voiced concerns that the process could be hijacked by thugs.
He said: “It has come to light that this is part of a larger strategy to compromise these materials in Oredo LGA (Local Government Area). Other local governments targeted for similar disruptions include Egor, Uhunmwonde, and parts of Ovia Federal Constituency”.
LP’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Sam Uruopa said Akpata and the party were ready for the polls. He urged Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to play by the rules and advised security operatives not to intimidate, harass or molest the electorate.
Uruopa said: “The LP candidate is well prepared, done the needful, gone round 18 LGs and the over 193 wards three times, and he is the only candidate that went to the riverine area with speedboats and he was readily accepted. I can tell you that his preparation is second to none.
“For now, we have not had any fear over the process but we are urging INEC, a Federal Government institution, to be an unbiased umpire and play by the rules of the game”.
The major battleground will be in Edo Central, where Okpehbolo and Ighodalo hail from.
Edo North is a stronghold of the APC, but the PDP has made inroads into the zone since the presidential election last year. This development has been speculated to ruffle some feathers in a zone that a former governor of the state, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, still holds sway.
The state Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, who rejoined APC after his battle with Obaseki, will also pull his weight in the zone.
After a less-than-impressive performance in the 2023 general election, the APC has made significant strides in recent months, with the return of Mathew Urhoghide and Charles Idahosa — widely regarded as a masterstroke.
On the other hand, Ighodalo will also be relying on the popularity of his party in some parts of Edo South to emerge as a winner.
Akpata’s emergence as the candidate of the LP came to many as a surprise, but he admitted that the plan, which he termed deliberate, had been on for long.
The LP candidate’s stronghold is in Edo South, where he hails from, but he has toured the entire state to gain more supporters and present his manifesto to the electorate.
Despite the LP’s success in last year’s general election, the party has not rested on its oars as it is aware that its two main rivals, the APC and PDP are also consolidating in areas where they enjoyed popularity.
To show its readiness for the election, INEC has delivered electoral materials to all the 18 LGA offices of the commission.
Its Public Relations Officer in the state office, Toyin Buoro assured that the election would begin in all the polling units at the scheduled time.
She said: “All the LG offices of the commission have their material with them. They will be warehoused in the Registration Area Centre in every LG. However, for security, they merged some of the RAC centres to become Super RAC centres, where the supervisors and polling unit officers will also camp for the night for easy access to their polling unit”.
President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, called on all stakeholders in the election to conduct themselves peacefully.
In a statement on Friday, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga said: “The President implores the governorship candidates, political parties, and supporters to respect the democratic process and the people’s will.
“He believes in the voters’ ability to make informed decisions about their future leaders.
“President Tinubu emphasises that democracy thrives on civility, tolerance, patience, and respect for the rules of the game”.
