~Hon. Idowu Ayeni;
Edo state is the heartbeat of the nation and a mini-Nigeria, judging from our diversity in language and culture. One can say Owan East is also a smaller image of Edo State and Nigeria at large.
“Edo Nobi Lagos” was the slogan of this administration during the last September 19th, 2020 gubernatorial election in Edo State; Because Edo indigenes are conscious and informed voters. The votes of Edolites have represented the voices of the general masses in so many historical Presidential elections including the last February 25th 2023 presidential election.
You all recall that during the last Gubernatorial election in Edo State, Edolites both at home and abroad yearned for Governor Godwin Obaseki in a bid to fight against Godfatherism and oust former Governor Adams Oshiomole (Senator-elect representing Edo North) by voting against his preferred candidate (Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu) even though history will favour Comrade Adams Oshiomole’s administration as one of the best Governors of Edo State more than Obaseki’s administration; Edolite were not happy because they felt former Governor Adams Oshiomole was trying to recreate the same Lagos “Jagaban vs Ambode feud”; which was the reason Ambode was not re-elected for a second tenure in Lagos State and this brings us back to Edo State and Owan East Constituency indigenes being conscious and informed voters but let’s move forward.
Events have unfolded like my cousin will say, “Today’s story will be different from tomorrow’s story in politics”, the once-bullied Administration has become a bully itself and carries the greatest bully of all time with her being Chairman of PDP Edo state Dr. Tony Aziegbemi.
I saw a Governor on YouTube apologizing to former Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomole for taking sides with Governor Godwin Obaseki during the 2020 Gubernatorial election because of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s antecedent and history with All Progressives Congress (APC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
A friend once told me, “he has little or no respect for a Nigerian president if he cannot win Edo State” and I thought it didn’t matter until I started feeling the same towards the Obaseki administration not being able to win Owan East Constituency during the last Edo State House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate Elections held in the State even with a Deputy Governor from Edo North and in a bid to have a hold on Owan East, there has been cancelation of local government primaries and plans to install DG’s wife preferred candidate but it is all laughable because, Owan East Voters are conscious and informed voters.
The controversy surrounding Local Government elections in the State is
deepening the distrust in the hearts of Edolites towards Governor Obaseki’s Government because large percentage of both the ruling party and opposition parties feel sidelined; All inclusiveness is what one would expect in a Democratic State like Edo State. One can be a class prefect and still not have control on the classmates. Some people at the grassroots level feel that the Local government’s primaries elections, selling of forms is geared towards raising finance for the party instead of delivering a dividend of democracy to the people of Edo State at the grassroot level as in the case of Owan East for example.
I know for sure that good leaders build bridges, not walls, and make friends, not enemies.
If you have seen a video of the President elect, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu where he plans to win Edo State for APC through Comrade Adams Oshiomole; PDP members across Edo State need to sit tighter because Edo State is an open political field right now; 2023 elections have shown that no one is in charge of the peoples voting habit you can only be in their good books like Chief Dan Orbih is in the good books of Edo people and Nigeria at large. I will be expecting someone to use the same “Edo Nobi Lagos or Adamawa” as a campaign slogan because it is valid that Edolite needs fresh air and might not listen to anyone from or in this current administration when it is time to cast vote in forth coming 2024 Gubernatorial election.
Whoever the Governor supports might inherit the enemies of the governor in the state and that’s not good.
Whoever Chief Dan Orbih support is a go!
Whoever Comrade Adams Oshiomole supports on the other hand might stand a good chance but then Edolite are still cautious; just like people have poor taste in picking girlfriends and wives; some leader have bad taste too and this is the way Edolite feels about Comrade Adams Oshiomole. All through his tenure as a governor, Edo people loved and supported their comrade Governor same way he loved and supported Edo people, after his two tenures, Edolite also trusted his choice of a successor by voting for Governor Obaseki, and after 4 years they refused to listen to Comrade Governor and continued to trust Obaseki but remember what my cousin said “today’s news is different from tomorrows news in politics” if Governor Obaseki was struggling to win a majority of the Edo State House of Assembly members in the 2023 elections, one can say the feelings of Edolite towards Governor Obaseki has changed and his chances to also make amends is gone, we all have to wait and see what happens in 2024 election under Dr. Tony Aziegbemi without honest and grassroots leaders like Chief Dan Orbih, Hon. Ogbeide Ihama, PDP State secretary Hillary Otsu and PDP deputy chairman Hon. Omagbon.
I am IDOWU AYENI a son of a journalist from Owan East Constituency; I know myself! I know when journalists are being silenced in a State, my father being a former NUJ national President and NUJ State chairman ; will be turning in his grave right now because of the influence this administration has on Journalists in the State; my father spearheaded the building of NUJ Press Center in Benin city as NUJ chairman (defunct Bendel) so that there will be freedom of the press.
I will continue to write about the true political situation of the State without personal feelings, or personal political views. I want to be like my father; a man of his word and good conscience and incorruptible attitude.
Watch out for more article.