ESAN PEOPLE AND EDO STATE GOVERNMENT

ESAN PEOPLE AND EDO STATE GOVERNMENT

The head of a camel would eventually pass through the eye of a needle for any Edo central`s candidate to be able to convince the Benins and the Edo North people to concede the governorship seat to Edo Central (Esanland) on the basis of  justice and fair play. Tell the prophet or prophetess that he/she lied to you politically anchored upon the Nigeria`s political perspective!

It should be cleared to the Esan people (Edo central) that the leadership of the APC would like to zone the governor seat to Edo South Senatorial district, though political analysts are yet to deduce from the body language of the governor who succeeds him. It is obvious that only Governor Oshiomhle and he alone can determine the next governor from the array of aspirants scrambling for the seat. No two ways about it.

The 2016 governorship election is going to be direct fight between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Interestingly, with the victory of the APC in the 2015 polls and the massive defections that have confronted the PDP in Edo state plus the alignment and re-alignment of famous politicians and party big wigs who were hitherto in the other side of political divide, and their supporters engaging in what could be regarded as political re-alignment under the APC platform; joined with  the APC in the state to win majority of the state House of Assembly seats in the just concluded general elections make the party the preferred platform for aspirants who want to succeed Comrade Governor Adams Oshiomhole because the battle can best be viewed at the favored direction of APC`s candidate securing enough supports and votes at the poll results  of  Edo state governorship election, 2016. 

For Edo central to gain, we must lobby or ask for the seat of a deputy governor that will be best positioned as a credible governorship candidate after the tenure of his principal. Without doubt in my mind, the deputy governor will do his or her best to bring development to Esan land just as our deputy governor today, Odubu who is committed to the development of his local government in particular and attracted a number of road projects, pipe borne water, electrification projects and the construction of the Ogan/ Ugo/Orhomikhe /Urghonigbe 57 kilometer stretch of road to his people.  This must be our concern now or never as Esan people must know that the era of playing politics blindly or non-digital is over, we cannot afford to play the role of opposition to any ruling government at this modern day Nigerian politics, as the political wind blows, we must follow in order to gain unlike the era of late Prof. Alli and Jakande, when and where opposition to the ruling party gained. We must have concrete plans to project and position ourselves accurately.

We should remember our icon in politics in Nigeria, Chief Tony Anenih, founding member of PDP just resigned from active politics and his enormous roles he played in the party for the past 16 years both in the human and political development in Esan land and Nigeria in general must be emulated by any person or persons that will ever rise to such height in Nigeria politics. Ironically, some major clan or clans in Esan land must desist from the myopic reasoning that they only can produce a very better person for Esan development; any clan should be allowed enough playing fields politically for any rising Esan person or persons into the State and Nigeria politics. Saul was known to be at longer head with Christians but later turned to Paul and a leading member of the Christian family.

2016 governorship election turns out to be a joker card for edo central inhabitants and must be handled maturely. It is now or never as where two elephants fight, the ground suffers.

By Prince Kelly O. Udebhulu, Director, Media & Publicity, APC Nigeria, Spain Chapter.