As the race for the Osadebey Avenue Government House heats up, the leading political parties in Edo State are engulfed in a whirlwind of activities and internal conflicts.
The outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki and his ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) face stiff competition from two main rivals, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP).
Currently, these three parties are experiencing internal discord that could potentially affect their unity going into the 2024 governorship elections.
LP aspirants are at odds with their National Working Committee (NWC) over the cost of sale of forms and the national leadership crisis, which has extended its factional divide to the state level.
PDP’s challenge lies in a division within the party.
There is a clear split between leaders loyal to Governor Obaseki and those siding with Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, along with the Legacy Coalition Group led by Chief Dan Orbih, the Vice Chairman, South-South of the party.
This division is deepened by members who defected with Obaseki from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2020.
While these divisions might seem like an advantage for the APC, it too faces its internal turmoil.
The party is grappling with an overwhelming number of aspirants – about 35 individuals, including financially strong contenders, raising concerns over post-primary election crises.
To address this, the APC state leadership formed a committee headed by Professor Julius Ihonvbere, Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, to narrow down the number of aspirants.
The committee’s recommendations, which eventually shortlisted four aspirants, have sparked intense debate within the party.
The final names are Senator Monday Okpebholo, Col (Dr) David Imuse (rtd), Hon Dennis Idahosa, and former Deputy Governor Hon Lucky Imasuen.
The controversy led to the national leadership of the APC announcing that all aspirants are free to purchase nomination forms, effectively stating that no aspirant has been screened or disqualified from the primary election.
Peter Uwadiae, the State Publicity Secretary of the APC, further clarified that the Ihonvbere committee was merely advisory.
He said, “There is no truth in the news making the rounds that governorship aspirants have been screened and about 25 have been disqualified.
“Based on the advice of the National Working Committee of the party, we set up a committee led by Julius Ihonvbere to interface with the aspirants on the need to reduce the number of aspirants to a manageable one.
“It is after the close of sale of forms that the NWC will set up a screening committee.
“The Committee also advised the Edo APC to be in a talking relationship with the aspirants so that those who know they cannot go all the way can exit the race. So no aspirant has been screened and disqualified.”
This position has led to some of the aspirants going ahead to purchase nomination forms.
The aspirants include Prince Clem Agba, Major General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), Imuse, Anamero Dakeri, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Blessing Agbomhere and Sen Monday Okpebholo.
The report of the committee brought the leader of the party, Sen Adams Oshiomhole, under media attacks as several individuals who are believed to be agents of some of the aspirants who were not comfortable with the report argued that the outcome was a reflection of where Oshiomhole’s interest lies in the contest.
But Oshiomhole’s supporters said the attacks were only doing that because they did not make the final list of recommended aspirants. They believe that their position would have been different if they had made the list.
However, all the local governments area chairmen in Edo had a meeting with Oshiomhole where they took several decisions affecting the party.
A communiqué from the office the chairman of the local government chairmen said, “On the issue of the 2024 gubernatorial election, the Distinguished Senator and Leader of the Party in the state reiterated the need for all party faithful to work together to ensure APC wins the forthcoming governorship election. He said the processes to this end shall be encompassing and acceptable to all.
“The Chairmen recommitted themselves to the leadership of Distinguished Senator Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole and his efforts to ensure victory for the party in the next gubernatorial election.”
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The party has fixed February 17 for its primary which, it said, would be the direct mode of primary election where all card carrying members of the party would vote in their polling units across the state.