The state has got more than its fair share of the news in recent days and weeks, with the governor, Godwin Obaseki, who is contesting under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) constantly in a scuffle with his opponent, Pastor Osaze Iyamu of the All Progressive Congress, (APC). And most of the news coming out of the Heartbeat state have not palatable.
It’s either the former governor of the state and former National Chairman of the ruling APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is exhibiting his usual comical acts and talking with both sides of the mouth or the APC supporters are engaging in violent acts while law enforcement agents are looking helplessly. The governor too has not helped matters with his ungubernatorial postures and uncalculated moves.
I thought by now the electorate should have adequate information about what the various parties stand for and what they want to offer. I’m not sure the candidates have come up with concrete programmes and what the people should expect. If at all they have any, the issues are not resonating with the people. Rather, the APC is trying to make the election a referendum on the incumbent governor.
The feeling out there is that the APC apparatchik, of course with the help of federal might, is hell-bent in removing Obaseki for daring to challenge the establishment. Indeed, feelers on the streets few days ago do not seem to favour the opposition APC and that was presumably why, critics argued, the supporters resorted to violence and in the process disturbing the peace in the state.
“My brother, what we are seeing in Edo State is a fight between the masses of the people who have queued behind Governor Obaseki and vowed to prevent the state from being overrun by forces loyal to Oshiomhole and the elite who are not comfortable with the style of Obaseki and are therefore determined to make sure he does not come back. We are determine to protect our votes. Our votes must count. Edo no be Lagos o”, says a cab driver last at the Benin Airport.
It is however very unlikely that forces against the governor are going to back down with just few weeks to the election. They are indeed going keep on acting on their script of creating crisis thereby making the state ungovernable. Or how does one reconcile the move by members-elect of the Edo State House of Assembly, most of whom are yet to be legally inaugurated to impeach a properly elected and inaugurated Speaker and his deputy.
It is illegal and unconstitutional for lawmakers that were not inaugurated by the governor to meet in a private residence and be sworn in. It is even laughable that they moved to remove the Speaker and his deputy. Hence, their action was a nullity and should be condemned by all lovers of democracy and constitutionalism. What is however worrisome was the rush by the nation’s chief law officer to direct the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, to assist the pro-Oshiomhole members-elect to enter the Assembly after a purported petition from their counsel.
What do the parties and their candidates really stand for? what are their cardinal programmes as per education, health care delivery, security, rural development, infrastructure, social security, economy, youth unemployment, agriculture and so on? These are the core issues affecting the state and these are what should dominate the campaign currently going on across the state.
Rather, what we are seeing is a campaign of calumny and violence perpetrated by the parties, using our restless youths who are always veritable tools in the hands of politicians at times of elections. Sadly, these youths who are supposed to shape the future are the ones self destroying the collective aspirations of people of the state.
Without a doubt, next month’s election should be an opportunity for the people to show their disapproval on the state of the state and pass a judgment, either for Obaseki to continue for another four years or for Ize-Iyamu to take over. But what is more important is for the voters to have the final say. There should be no room for manipulation of the process or usage of instrumentality of federal power to favour any of the candidates. Voters MUST be allowed to vote for their preferred candidate without fear or favour.
We all saw what took place in Bayelsa and Kogi States governorship elections. Where the elections were characterised by violence and thuggery. Where there was visible unholy trinity between the Police, the ruling party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It’s still of concern to me why our politicians are so mean and wicked. They so much believe in the end justifies the means that they have less concern about the effects of what they are doing and its implications to the future of democracy in our country. Sadly, the occupant of Aso Villa, who is supposed to be the symbol of this increasingly fragile democracy does give a damn about the various infractions.
Thus, this politics of do or die is never going to put food on the table of majority of Edo electorate; its never going to provide the needed employment for our graduates roaming the streets; its never going to expand the social security by bringing more people into safety net and it is never going to provide the atmosphere where meaningful progress and development can take place.
The choice before Edo voters therefore is to choose between a governor who has been tested and the other candidate who was accused of being inept and corrupt by the very person who is now his chief cheer leader; they have to choose between a technocrat, who has shown that he can stand on his own and get the job done and a known inconsistent politician, who is now the bride of a desperate political class. The voters indeed have a choice to make. Either to embrace a future that is unpredictable or go back to a past that from all indications, would return the state to the Oshiomhole era.
More importantly however is for INEC to be truly independent and provide a level playing field. There should be no room for Nigerians to doubt the outcome of an election that has become a sign of what to come in 2023. The Police should restrict itself to the laws guiding elections and the candidates should play by the rules. They should remember that there must a state before you can govern. The interests of the people should be paramount in whatever they are doing.
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