EXCLUSIVE: Why PDP can’t win 2024 Edo governorship election

Umagbae N’Edo details Obaseki, Ighodalo’s ‘sins’ in eight years

 

By Sebastine Ebhuomhan I Wednesday, Sept. 04, 2024

 

ABUJA, Nigeria – A rash of hope and belief is recently being expressed by members, leaders, government and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) about winning the Edo State governorship election. But the PDP can not win and will not win the election that comes up on Saturday, 21st September, 2024 for many reasons.

Ordinarily, beyond the litany of evils committed by Governor Godwin Obaseki, his administration, and his factionalised party, which acted unfairly, unjustly and undemocratically to forcefully and contentiously produce the party’s candidate, Dr. Akintunde Asuerinme Ighodalo (a key member of the government for seven years as Obaseki’s Chief Economic Adviser and beneficiary of godfatherism), resulting to the irredeemable division of the PDP in Edo State and nationally, it is unthinkable and fallacious to wish or expect a PDP victory. Any expectation of victory would paint PDP leaders as a ruthless gang without conscience. It is unsurprising, anyway, because as the great Austrian psychoanalyst, Sigmund Freud says in Totem and Taboo (1913), “Conscience is the internal perception of the rejection of a particular wish operating within us.”

 

Would the proud and ungrateful governor of Edo State with a history of rebellion ever tender a published apology to the Great Benin Kingdom’s monarch for deliberately disrespecting his throne?

 

Until the PDP obtained reprieve from the Court of Appeal last week on its long chain of litigations initiated by members against the candidate, the party was totally voiceless in the media and campaign grounds. Even though Ighodalo had tactically ran to Europe and America from where he briefly took cover in Lagos, his spokespersons became noisy and disrespectfully arrogant soon after the appellate court overturned the negative judgements against him.

Their noisy attitude could only compare to the lies and denials they fed voters after the High Court judgments. In a tone that mocked the party’s past denials and abuses of the Appeal Court for earlier rejecting Ighodalo’s appeal in another case, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba described the judgments in a press statement as “another momentous victory for democracy and rule of law,” which the party savoured. In other reactions, they lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for using the judgments to destroy any hope of deploying federal might for the APC. Many citizens agreed. However, the PDP should not forget that those upturned judgments have the prerogative of appeal at the Supreme Court.

The party should not forget also that the most dangerous of the cases against Ighodalo remains the alleged forgery of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s voter’s card. It is yet to be decided. It is hoped that the PDP would not turn against Mr. President, the Federal Government, and especially, the Judiciary if it loses any of its cases in the future. It is hoped also that the PDP would accept a free, fair and credible result after losing the Edo election.

It is on record that the PDP candidate, Ighodalo, instead of showing up to wave his purported original voter’s card at the judge in line with his denial of the forgery allegation when summoned, decided to embark on a wild goose chase.

He replied that the suit was initiated outside the constitutional 14 days period envisaged by Section 285(9) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). The Court of Appeal debunked his claim before returning the case for trial. If Ighodalo loses his appeal at the Supreme Court as anticipated, even if he wins Edo election, he would be vacated from office by implication.

The drama is yet to begin. But Edo people have no time to waste on a lingering post-election petition or an already determined pre-election issue that clearly ends only in one way. So, voters must avoid being swayed by ‘technocracy’ or Queen’s English into voting for an alleged criminal. They must vote for the candidate, who is not a forger.

As Ighodalo was gallivanting Europe, America, and Lagos in search of “undecided voters,” agents and leaders of his party were, as usual, patching his disappearing values with lies. It has become their habit. This time, they published pictures and videos to support an unfounded allegation that the governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata, has signed a N1.6 billion agreement with President Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, to ensure the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Edo State governorship election.

They used innuendoes to conjure secret alliance, sponsorship and late-night meetings backing the spurious claim. Yet, the falsehood was manufactured on the election APC is destined and campaigning to win.

Reacting to the lie, Akpata described the PDP as a gathering of jokers he laughs at. In a detailed reaction, titled Re: Akpata Allegedly in Secret Alliance with APC, the Publicity Secretary of the LP, Comrade Sam Uroupa, denied on behalf of his candidate and party.

“We categorically deny these baseless allegations and consider them a desperate attempt to tarnish Akpata’s reputation and undermine his candidacy.” Setting the records straight on the old video and picture from the archive, Uroupa added, “We deny receiving any such funds from the presidency or APC. Our campaign finances are transparent and accountable.”

Unlike the LP and APC, can the PDP make a similar clarification that the campaign finances of its candidate are transparently and accountably clear of public funds? Can Edo State government openly deny that the state government funds and the state local government funds are not committed into the PDP governorship campaign? It is deductive that Governor Obaseki might have promised Ighodalo about convincing Akpata to collapse his LP campaign structure into the floundering PDP structure when impeaching Hon. Philip Shaibu and gifting the deputy governor’s office to an LP member. The contrary result to this expectation has been unsettling, disappointing, frustrating, fearful, and painful for Obaseki, Ighodalo and PDP leaders.

As you ponder over PDP and Ighodalo’s fading governorship dream, the ultimatum of the Concerned People of Benin Nation (Umagbae N’Edo) to Governor Obaseki last Tuesday is drawing towards the deadline.

For Obaseki and Ighodalo, newest Edo godfather and godson, it is a case of the evils that men do living with them. As the saying goes, life is like a flowing river. According to Alexander Pope, one of the greatest British poets that lived between 1688 and 1744, “The vanity of human life is like a river, constantly passing away, and yet constantly coming on,” Thoughts on Various Subjects (1706).

Obaseki, who is still reeling from the shame of a public endorsement, defection and support by over 200 members of his extended family for the APC candidate, Okpebholo, alias Akpakomiza, has seven days to meet the demands of Umagbae N’Edo (CPBN). Presented in a statement addressed in Benin titled, The Many Atrocities and Provocative Acts of Governor Godwin Obaseki against the Great Benin People: A Call for Repudiation and Retribution, and made available to this independent journalist, who-is-who in Benin Kingdom endorsed the statement, signed by: Professor Amen Uhunmwangho, Sir (Dr.) Jacob Abusomwan, Barrister Osarenkhoe, Leftist Agho Omobude, Mr. Iyamu Osaro Culture, Comrade Eseosa Omoregbee, Chief Omuemu Etinosa, Chief Friday Omoragbon and Reverend Osamuyimen Isibor.

According to Umagbae N’Edo, “Edo State, the current host of the Benin Nation, is in a condition of decrepitude owing to the dictatorial tendencies, incompetence and unprovoked atrocities precipitated by Governor Godwin Obaseki which is at variance with the dictates of good governance.”

“The current Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, who happens to be a son of the Benin Nation, and who ought to be a blessing has become a burden, if not a curse to his own people. It will interest you to know that Godwin Obaseki has taken Edo from a state of developmental stability and growth, to one of retrogression, bitterness and general maladministration. He has been at war with himself and all others; turning governance on its head. Governance and power which ought to be tools of societal cohesion and integration, cultural elevation, and the upliftment of the people, have been excessively deployed by the Edo State governor as a divisive weapon of acrimony, lawlessness and flagrant abuse of the rule of law and separation of powers,” it berated Obaseki.

Thereafter, Umagbae N’Edo proceeded to carefully present “the litany of Governor Godwin Obaseki’s ungodly acts against his own people, the Benins between 2016 and 2024.” The list includes the following.

· Non-inauguration of 14 Members-elect of the Edo State House of Assembly. An “affront on the very tenets that saw to his emergence as elected Governor of Edo State,” resulting in the non-inauguration of 10 lawmakers from the Benin Nation out of the 14.

· Sponsored Protests against the Nomination of Prominent Benin Sons for High Office. Ex-Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt. Hon. Pius Odubu; Chief Victor Ekhator; and Rt. Hon. Ehiogie West-Idahosa (SAN) are some of the mentioned people that lost public appointments after Obaseki allegedly sponsored protests against them.

· Abandonment/Destruction of Critical State Infrastructure. Benin Storm Water Project; Ekehuan Road (a road that connects Local Government Areas); Specialist Hospital (an age-long facility demolished to make way for a privately-owned EMOWAA museum); Edo State Library (demolished for a privately-owned shopping mall); vandalization of House of Assembly Complex (so as to prevent the inauguration of the excluded 14 members-elect); costly but failed Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) and Feasibility Studies for: Gelegele Seaport, Auchi Airport, Benin Industrial Park etc; closure of the renowned Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) etc.

· Assassination Attempts. Prior to the Edo State governorship election of 2020, Governor Obaseki allegedly overlooked the detonation of improvised explosive devices at the residence of two APC chieftains, the state secretary, Mr. Lawrence Okah and a former Edo State Attorney-General, Barrister Henry Idahagbon. The statement also highlighted the sponsored attack on Senator Matthew Urhoghide at the Benin Airport in 2018 and the use of “dangerous weapons” by the Edo State Security Network and the Public Works Volunteers that intentionally murdered Inspector Akor Onu in July of 2024.

· Attempted Balkanisation of the Great Benin Kingdom. According to Umagbae N’Edo, the most heinous of Governor Obaseki’s crimes is his sustained fight and acrimony against the revered institution of the Benin Monarch, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II and the entire Benin Traditional Council (BTC).

“Governor Godwin Obaseki in his selfish interest has attempted through covert and overt means to re-loot the repatriated Benin artefacts,” by law, the sole preserve of the Benin monarch and must be domiciled within the precinct of the palace of his royal majesty. The statement further accused Obaseki of despicably conniving with some Enigie to sacrilegiously institute a lawsuit against the Oba of Benin, deliberately ordering the closure of the Oba Akenzua II Cultural Centre, banning Okaighele in Benin Kingdom without due consultation with the Oba of Benin or BTC, and deliberately withholding the statutory funds to the BTC.

· Demolition of Properties at Oke-Oroma Community Despite Restraining Court Order. Governor Obaseki, “in the guise of repossessing lands that belongs to the state government for the construction of a new town, ordered a comprehensive demolition of hundreds of houses worth billions of naira belonging to ordinary Edo people at a time that they are passing through various forms of hardship” despite a court order against the forceful take-over of ancestral land. Likewise, the demolition of Comrade Tony Kabaka’s hotel in 2020 despite a pending suit at the Edo State High Court.

· Official Land Grabbing by the Edo State Government. “To ease the forceful grabbing of the vast forest reserve estates of Edo for single crop plantation owners, Governor Obaseki reversed the decision taken by the administration of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in 2015 that revoked 13, 750 hectares of the high biodiversity concentrated lowland of the Okomu and the Owan Forest Reserve of the state, and hand same over to the local communities (Edo State of Nigeria Gazette No. 16 of 2015, Volume 1, Page 48 to 51).”

· Malicious Revocation of the Certificate of Occupancy Issued in Respect of the Farmland Acquired by the Late Illustrious Son of Benin Kingdom, Captain Hosa West Okunbor. Condemning the malicious revocation, Umagbae N’Edo accused Obaseki of going beyond grabbing lands from the living citizens into waging wars with the dead. Dr. Odubu, Chief Oseni Elamah, House of Representatives’ Majority Leader, Hon. Julius Ihonvbere, and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu are some of the members of the opposition Obaseki allegedly selectively revoked their lands.

· Refusal to Reconstruct or Rebuild Burnt Markets. The burnt Oba Market and Osa Market (Ekiosa) remain abandoned for years now.

· Hoarding and Diversion of Palliatives. From COVID-19 up to #EndBadGovernance, Obaseki’s government has continued to supervise the hoarding, rebranding, diversion and reselling of palliatives given to Edo State by the Federal Government.

· Gross Misappropriations. Umagbae N’Edo stated that the huge potential of Edo State to attract serious and realisable investments at both domestic and foreign ends, which was supposed to be the primary purpose of the much talked about annual summit called “Alaghodaro” (which means moving forward in Benin Language) remains an unfulfilled mirage.

The group accused Obaseki of making a failed attempt to transfer 997 hectares of land to Amaya Real Estate Holdings Limited, a United Kingdom offshore company registered in April 2019, just three months after the registration of the Benin Enterprise Park in Agbonmoba Community on Benin—Sapele Expressway, but designed as the major investor of the park that is listed by the Corporate Affairs Commission as a “Private Company Limited by Shares.”

It further accused Obaseki of handing over thousands of hectares of farmlands and forest reserve to dubious corporate farmers without commensurate benefits to the state as well as the host communities and their indigenous inhabitants.

“Our rural people and communities have been deprived of their ancestral farmlands without financial compensation or alternatives,” it lamented.

Speaking specifically on the Alaghodaro jamboree, the group said, “Unfortunately, this all-time expensive economic conclave has fallen significantly short of expectations. As private businesses continue to fold-up because of the hostile business climate deliberately created and passionately nurtured by this administration, Edo people now refer to “Alaghodaro” as ‘Alaghiyeke’, which connotes moving backward.”

As Governor Obaseki’s Chief Economic Adviser and acclaimed business boardroom leader, the PDP candidate, Dr. Akintunde Asuerinme Ighodalo, organised and managed Edo State Alaghodaro Summit for seven consecutive years. Yet, unsurprising too is the ranking of Edo State as 33rd on the “ease of doing business” by Budgit Nigeria despite the state government lies.

Considering the sacrilegious disrespect of Obaseki to the throne of Benin Kingdom and Benin monarch, Umagbae N’Edo specifically demanded the following of him.

· An unreserved written public apology to Oba Ewuare II to be published in at least three (3) national newspapers.

· Stoppage of the “abominable” construction of EMOWAA museum for repatriated Benin Kingdom artefacts.

· Withdrawal of all lawsuits instigated and filed by some Enigie against the Omo N’Oba.

· Reallocation of lands and properties which certificates of occupancy were maliciously revoked.

· Return of all communal lands illegally acquired by Governor Godwin Obaseki for reasons other than overriding public interest or purpose.

· Payment of the salaries and allowances of the duly elected 14 members of the Edo State House of Assembly denied their seats for four years.

As at the time of filing this report, Governor Obaseki was yet to comment on the Umagbae N’Edo statement or publicly apologise as it demanded. Likewise, the government, the PDP, the party’s campaign council and the candidate have all kept mum. So, what happens before the governorship election if there is neither a public apology nor a fulfillment of any of the demands after tomorrow, Tuesday, 3rd September’s deadline?

“If Governor Obaseki fulfills all our demands, we shall address another press conference to express our forgiveness to him as a repentant son. If he fulfils part of it, we will review our demands to the extent of its relevance to determine whether to insist on the remaining demands or not. Our ultimatum is seven days, not 20th September. Hence, our issues are not about elections but the sanctity of our ethnicity. However it goes, the group shall meet to decide on the next line of action,” a signatory, Mr. Omobude, clarified.

There is no gainsaying how this ultimatum would impact against the PDP. Would the proud and ungrateful governor of Edo State with a history of rebellion ever tender a published apology to the Great Benin Kingdom’s monarch for deliberately disrespecting his throne? Add these pains in the hearts of daughters and sons of Benin Nation to the open wounds Obaseki and Ighodalo inflicted on Edo North leaders and the abandonment of Esan people to see why the PDP will not win Edo election.

In the meantime, APC’s Okpebholo and Hon. Dennis Idahosa, alias Denco, have been unrelenting in their campaigns to Edo State’s nooks and crannies. Their manifesto and aggressive campaigns in communities, villages, towns, and cities on their Five-Point Agenda of Security, Road Development, Affordable Healthcare, Water and Food Security, and Value-Driven Education have convinced majority of voters about their character, accessibility, connectivity, preparedness and competence as well as their fellow candidates to withdraw from the race.

Notably, five political parties’ candidates: the National Rescue Movement (NRM), the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Action Democratic Party (ADP), the Allied People’s Movement (APM), and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) have formally withdrawn and collapsed their campaigns into Okpebholo’s APC structure after informing their members, supporters and voters to vote for Monday Okpebholo as governor. On the pervasive insecurity in Edo, the death of Mr. Samson Omoarebokhae is another indication of Obaseki’s failed ‘security architecture’. The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Edo State Speaker, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, was allegedly gunned by unknown gunmen yesterday. Painful and condemnable as his death is, it is a reminder of what Okpebholo must do as governor. May his soul rest in eternal peace…

It convincingly attracted the support of the family of the Great Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief (Dr.) Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, underlined by the defection of her beloved daughter Hon. (Ms.) Gabriella Omosede Ighinedion, who is now campaigning for Okpebholo’s APC project. Igbinedion’s defection and campaigns has undoubtedly locked up the entire Ovia land of the Benin Nation for Okpebholo. This has made political observers and commentators in Edo State to ask one big question: where are the votes going to come for Ighodalo and Obaseki in the Edo governorship election?

Riding on the crest wave at a rally in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, Okpebholo vowed to return community lands illegally acquired or sold to cronies of Obaseki and Ighodalo, revisit malicious revocation of certificates of occupancy and declare emergency on Edo roads. At other rallies, he promised to support traders with interest-free loans, provide farmers with fertilisers and farm tools, and employ 5, 000 qualified teachers to boost education.

“I’m coming to work for you. Why I’m contesting is to make sure that all the injustice done in our land is reversed,” Okpebholo stated.

Indeed, “None of us has to fail for all of us to succeed. And in unity there is strength,” says Kamala Harris, United States Vice President (2021-2024) and Democratic Presidential Candidate at the Democratic National Convention.

The import of Ms. Harris’s statement is that Edo voters must unite with a resolve to elect Okpebholo so as to secure the future from regrets orchestrated by disrespect, deceit, bullying, failure and stealing by PDP’s ingrates, dealers and buccaneers, Ighodalo and Obaseki. Every vote matters.

 

NB: Sebastine EBHUOMHAN is an award-winning journalist and a media consultant from Edo State, writing from Abuja. He can be reached on: [email protected] or 08037204620.