Leaders of the pan-Esan socio-cultural organisation, Esan Okpa Initiative (EOI), and other stakeholders are eagerly awaiting the report of the Implementation Committee, led by revered Constitutional Law Professor, Michael Ikhariale, to resolve the thorny issue of reducing the number of Esans vying for the Edo State Governorship race in 2024.
Feelers indicate that the Committee, which is completing its report this weekend, may advocate consensus building as a “winning strategy” to coerce the candidates.
The 11-member Implementation Committee met with governorship aspirants from various parties in Benin City, the Edo State capital, last weekend to assess their suitability in order to ensure that Esan, which comprises the Edo Central Senatorial Zone, puts its best foot forward in the race for a successor to incumbent Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, whose term expires on November 12 next year.
Many of the aspirants, including Prof Oserheimen Aigberaodion Osunbor, who served as Governor for 18 months, three other famous professors, five former Speakers of the Edo State House of Assembly, and others, have impressive and commendable credentials. However, Esan leaders are concerned that if all of the aspirants go to primaries in their respective parties against fewer contenders from the other two zones, the burden of aspirants may reduce Edo Central’s chances. According to Ikhariale, “there is a legitimate expectation that the Governor’s position in Edo State is now for Esan people to lose, and quite frankly, there is a real possibility that we might just lose it if we do not put our house in order by quickly formulating a winning strategy.”
Although Ikhariale, who recently completed his term as Visiting Professor at America’s Ivy League, Harvard University, explained that their assignment was not to “screen out” any aspirants because that is the forte of political parties, the engagement was no doubt an attempt to sift the grain from the shaft and ensure that only formidable persons with clout and influence reach the other two zones – Edo North and Edo South – are supported.
“Before I go any further, please allow me to offer a vital explanation concerning today’s actions. We are not here to “screen out” anyone, nor do we have the need or want to do so. The problem of screening aspirants falls under the purview of the various political parties.
“What we invited you to is an interactive engagement in which we would look at each other’s relative strengths and weaknesses and then proceed to honestly tell ourselves about our levels of readiness in the Esan quest for the governorship position.”
“In the future, we expect this engagement to be candid, dispassionate, and objectively based on a set of objective criteria.” The outcome of today’s discussion will be given to the leadership of EOI and other relevant stakeholders for deliberation and further action.
“We all know that when brothers go into any discussion behind closed doors and come out all smiling, it is usually an indication that they have deceived themselves.” We, the EOI, surely do not aim to do such to ourselves or to make anyone miserable.
“Looking at the current political landscape of Edo State, it is easy to see that there has never been a better opportunity in recent election cycles for Esanland to produce a Governor.” The state is divided into three senatorial districts, namely Edo North, Edo South, and Edo Central (Esanland). Only Edo Central has not produced a Governor in nearly two decades. The last time we had an Esan governor, his term was cut short just a few months after he took office.
“In the circumstances, EOI’s primary goal is to objectively reason with all the aspirants with a view to building consensus around those aspirants who have realistic chances within their respective parties, and Esan people will support those aspirants while allowing the good people of Edo State to make their choice,” he contends.
Other members of the Esan Okpa Initiative’s Implementation Committee include Linguistics Scholar at the University of Port Harcourt, Prof Philomena Ejele, and Education Scholar, Prof Oyaziwo Aluede, who teaches at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma. Members of the committee include Dr. Roseline Etiti Okosun, a Political Development Expert, Dr. Ono’ohomen Ebhohimhen, and Engr. Francis Oriakhi, president of Esan Club 30 in Port Harcourt. Rev. Fr. (Dr.) Fidelis Arhedo and Mallam Abdulkadiri Mukhtar represent faith-based organisations on the committee, while Mr. Prosper Iyere and Mr. Alex Orukpe represent youth organisations.
The engagement with the aspirants, who were largely members of the three major parties – the All Progressive Congress (APC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and Labour Party (LP), was generally viewed as “fruitful.” Aside from Osunbor, other high-profile aspirants who attended the event included Edo State APC Chairman, Col David Imuse, former APC Chairman, Barr Anselm Ojezua, former Chairman, Esan North East Local Government, Hon John Yakubu, and former Edo State Government House Chaplain, Rev Fr Andrew Obinyan. Prof Sylvester Odion Akhaine, Prof Amb Martins Uhomoibhi, and Prof Osezua Ehiyamen are also on the list.
Former Speakers of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Francis Okiye, Rt Hon Friday Itula, Rt Hon Bright Omokhodion, and former Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon Festus Ebea, were also in attendance. Although former Speaker Rt Hon Victor Edoro and former House of Representatives member Rt Hon Serguis Ogun expressed interest in attending, they were unable to do so.
Only 17 of the 26 applicants who responded to the Implementation Committee’s invitation attended last weekend’s engagement. Three applicants in the Diaspora sought a Zoom facility, which could not be promptly arranged. Two others wrote apologies, while four aspirants who had initially responded to the letter of invitation did not respond. Leaders of the Esan Okpa Initiative, led by its President, Rt Hon Mathew Egbadon, and other Esan elders met with aspirants of Edo Central extraction last July in Benin City as part of a move to reduce the number of aspirants from the zone.
