Governor Godwin Obaseki, having failed in his bid to remove the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in order to pave way for him to grab the party’s ticket, our searchlight beams on the politicians behind the Governor in his herculean task to get the ticket of the APC in this year’s gubernatorial election.

While analysis had it in the middle of 2019 that the governor would defect to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to realize his second term bid if denied the APC ticket, that seems to be a pipe dream now with the demolition of the PDP structure by Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu’s defection to the APC a couple of weeks back.

With just few months left to the Edo APC Primaries, we decided to analyse the politicians behind the governor in his failed mission.

1. Chief John Odigie Oyegun – The former national chairman of the APC is far behind who’d be described as a grassroot politician. In the Governor’s election in 2016, Oyegun was reported to have lost his unit in Oredo.

Though described as a gentleman, his support at the grassroot level is of paper weight especially coming from a metropolitan Local Government Area where the governor hails from and where the battle is fiercest.

Under Oyegun’s support for Obaseki, the two House of Assembly members representing his local government – Chris Okaeben and Uyi – slipped through their political grasp to join forces to oust the governor from Osadebe Avenue in 2020.

Many members of the State Executive Council, who in a majority move removed the former chairman of the APC in Edo State Barr. Anselm Ojezua, also hail from Oredo, thus exposing the political weakness of both the Governor and Oyegun.

2. Philip Shaibu: The Deputy Governor of Edo State is seen as a leader of Obaseki’s hope of reelection from Edo North. However checks by us show that he is not on ground as people are made to believe in the media.

In a press interview with Channels TV this month, the APC national chairman exposed the fundamental political weakness of Shaibu when he disclosed that the deputy governor lost his unit in his own election that produced Governor Obaseki in 2016.

This above revelation needs no further addition to his political analysis as it is clear that Shaibu used to ride on the back of Comrade Oshiomhole to win elections in the past.

The Governor’s hope in Edo North is therefore slim with over 80 per cent of notable politicians from Edo North against his bid.

3. Charles Idahosa: Popularly called Charlie Tempo, the Edo South politician that plays his politics in Uhunmwonde was reported to have also lost his unit in the Governor’s election in 2016.

Though vocal, grassroot analysis shows he is not on ground with the likes of former Commissioner for Health, Dr. Isaiah Osifo; former House of Reps member, Samson Osagie; and other notable politicians against the Governor’s second term bid.

Perhaps the biggest signal of his political weakness is his inability to convince the member-elect of Edo State House Of Assembly in Uhunmwonde, Washington Osifo to join the Governor’s group.

…to be continued!

Ogochukwu Isioma
(CAMPUS GIST)

a social media influencer cum socio-political analyst.