Parties Search for Running Mates Ahead of Edo 2024 Guber Race

With the emergence of candidates for the Edo state governorship election slated for September 21, 2024, the battle has now shifted to selection of deputy gubernatorial candidates by the three major political parties, writes Adibe Emenyonu.

Penultimate weekend, most of the political parties concluded their primary election to choose candidates that will fly the parties’ flag for the September 21 governorship election.

Although there are no fewer than 25 political parties eyeing Edo State seat of government located on Dennis Osadebey Avenue in Benin-city, only three of them succeeded in  creating awareness among the electorate in the heartbeat of the nation. They are the ruling party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Obidient group, officially known as Labour Party (LP).

After the election of Asuelimen Ighodalo as PDP gubernatorial candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo for APC, and Olumide Akpata as the standard bearer of the LP,  attention has now shifted to who become their running mates to complete the process in compliance with the 2022 Electoral Act which stipulates that a candidate for a governorship election must have a running mate.

For the Labour Party, pressure is being mounted on the candidate to look for his running mate from Edo North of Akoko-Edo extraction.

For instance, a group known as Edo Vanguard for Good Governance (EVGG) immediately after Akpata was declared candidate of LP,  called on him to look for a member of the party with reputation and acceptability to win the election for the party.

A statement by the Convener of the group, Osaro Eboigbodin and Secretary, Donald Oikhena, said the emergence of Akpata was like the unprecedented way Peter Obi emerged on the political scene ahead of the 2023 general election and the impact he had on the election should be completed by picking the House of Representatives candidate of the party for Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency during last year general elections in the person of High Chief Marvelous Omobayo who they described as a vibrant young man.

The argument here is that Omobayo took the local government area with two state constituencies by storm during that election and that if not for the alleged manipulation  of results, he would’ve won the election.

The APC is weighing considerong three aspirants as possible running mate to Okpebholo. The first is Dennis Idahosa who lost to him in the shadow primaries after the first primary election won by Idahosa was declared inconclusive. According  to information reaching THISDAY, an idea was mooted by the party leaders in the state to compensate him with deputy governorship ticket.

The second person being considered is Osaro Obaseki, a former local government chairman of Oredo Local Government Council. The last is Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama whose reported choice is presently causing friction in the party.

However from competent party source, Idahosa and Obaseki may have been knocked out of the race. Obaze’s problem is that he is too close to one of the APC chieftains and there are fears that his allegiance would be to the man pushing for his acceptance. Idahosa’s minus is that he has taken the party to court in pursuant of his mandate. Therefore, bringing him to work with Okpebholo will be counter productive because his loyalty to the governor won’t be total if the party eventually wins the election.

As it stands though very unusual in political circles, Ogbeide-Ihama, a former House of Representatives member for Oredo Federal Constituency, former governorship aspirant of the PDP is also being considered as running mate to Okpebholo for the APC governorship ticket. He is being considered to calm frayed nerves and political tension as a result of the party primaries.

Apart from the fact that he is being promoted by one of the South-south ministers in President Bola Tinubu’s administration, he is equally said to have been accepted by party leaders from Edo South senatorial district.

Last Wednesday, according to a party scource, about 30 APC leaders from the district at a meeting in Abuja endorsed Ogbeide-Ihama as running mate to Okpebholo. The leaders reportedly gave the endorsement at a meeting attended by top former governorship aspirants and other critical stakeholders from Edo South.

Among those present at the meeting were Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Major General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), Lucky Imasuen, and Senator Matthew Urhoghide, the party’s  state secretary, Lawrence Oklahoma and many others.

According to the source, “any moment from now, Ogbeide-Ihama will be announced as the APC choice of running mate to Okpebholo.” It was also gathered that his movement to the party and his endorsement by leaders from the largest senatorial district in Edo may earn the APC the needed victory from Edo South during the polls as well as beat the March 24th dealine given by INEC for the parties to submit list of their governorship and deputy governorship candidates.

On the part of PDP, four names have been in the public domain shortly after Ighodalo’s emergence as candidate of the party.

They are the Secretary to State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie; former House of Representatives member for Ovia Federal Constituency, and daughter of the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, Omosede Igbinedion; Dr. Ese Owie, son of former Senate Chief Whip, Senator Roland Owie; the present Chief of Staff (CoS) to Governor Godwin Obaseki, Osagbovo Iyoha.

The party leadership it was gathered is looking at a deputy gubernatorial candidate to pair with Asue Ighodalo, who is from the central senatorial district considered the least in voting population. That the candidate to pair with Ighodalo should come from Edo South who can get significant percentage of votes from the district with 58% voting strength. Besides, the one so chosen must have the wide reach and acceptable in other senatorial districts, and when placed side-by-side other candidates must have the ability to win votes for the party.

A prominent party chieftain who confided in THISDAY said the junior Owie possesses intimidating credentials as an Ivy League-educated lawyer, and holder of a Doctorate Degree in Public International Law from the University of Oxford.

However, he said Owie, from Issi, a community in Uhunmwode local government area of the state lack grass roots politics. That though his father was a former senator who represented the zone, he remains a political neophyte and relatively unknown even in his local government area.

On Omosede Igbinedion with good credentials like Owie; a trained lawyer who represented Ovia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives between 2015 and 2019, the argument is that she lost her second term bid because her style of politics is more elitist. Her stepping down for Ighodalo before the primaries was said not to be good enough to earn her the ticket as running mate to the party’s governorship candidate.

Iyoha, the Chief of Staff to Governor Obaseki, is a good and loyal party man with good education. He was at a time member of Edo State House of Assembly. However, the argument against him is that he may be too strong to work with Asue. The party leaders  fear the reenactment of the kind of working relationship between Governor Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu.

The last in the consideration list is Osarodion Ogie, former Chief of Staff and Commissioner for Works during Adams Oshiomhole’s government, and the current Secretary to the State Government. He is also a Barrister at Law. The argument against him is that he has spent more time in government and should pave way for others.

However, leaders of the party, according to source close to the selection team, said he (Ogie), is much more preferred because of his mien, calmness, accommodating and listening ears. Besides, he is adjudged to have always delivered the needed votes for the party not just in his local government area, Ikpoba-Okha, but in other areas because of his wider reach politically.

The source quoted one of the leaders as having said: “What Ogie brings to the table of governance as deputy is multi dimensional. On several fronts, the consummate politician and seasoned administrator has proven to be a dependable ally. Ogie has kept vigils defending the ideals of his party and state; he will not sponsor rebellious act(s) against the same government he serves, a forthright and astute public servant, Ogie is one man whose contributions to any system enhances unity and strength.”

Another party leader was also quoted to have enthused, “Ogie is experienced, exposed, organised, a selfless and unique leader who commands huge and organic followership amongst youths, women and men, demographies now greatly needed to make the numbers as we go into a major election. He has an unmatched record of electoral victories, a refined democrat, a loyal and committed party man, whose expanded reach has the potentials to secure victory for the party come September.

“Ogie is accessible, his gates are open to the public 6am to midnight everyday, a detribalized family man with interest in policy, human capacity development, promoting democratic ethos, building capacity, unifying broken structures, creating an enabling environment for cross-pollination of ideas and lots more.

“As our party gets set to float its campaigns ahead of the September poll, Asue Ighodalo’s face, alongside that of Osarodion Ogie conspicuously captured on the ballot, serves a veritable tool to facilitate the party’s victory in its determination to sustain reforms, build more and expand the Edo frontiers for cross-cultural development.”

To cap all the eulogies, Ogie, on Friday was named the running mate to Ighodalo and his name already forwarded to INEC to beat the deadline given to parties to submit the names of their candidates and running mates.

The eulogies and reservations notwithstanding, it is hope that the right choices would be made by the parties otherwise, any pander to sentiment may make or mar their chances of victory at the September governorship poll.