The Esan Agenda agitation was a unique opportunity for the Esan people to demonstrate unity and they did. The traditional and political leaders toured the State to solicit for support of their colleagues in the South and North of the State in having an Esan governor, come 2024 elections.
The argument was that the States’ 3 Senatorial Districts should rotate the governorship position among themselves for equity and justice. Luckily, the major political parties have picked their candidates from Esan land and so, we are close to Osadebe avenue.
The two candidates of PDP and APC are our sons and they are coming into the operational field of partisan politics for the first time.We should therefore not have too much problems in making them both winners; one as Senator and the other as Governor.
The APC candidate has just been elected senator in the manner we used to call “Abuja Direct” – no councillorship, no chairmanship, no house of assembly, no house of representatives experience. He went straight from Uwesan to Abuja. Even as a first term senator, he luckily got elected/ appointed chairman of the senate committee on procurement which is almost as good as the governor’s position in terms of possible benefits to his constituency, if competently managed.
Akpakomiza needs the support of Esan people to be a smart senator, this is because, outside the financial support for the local Uwesan politicians and his association with Chief Tony Anenih as one of the boys, he has not really had any significant political experience/assignment before his election as a senator. Even now, one can easily observe his frights, incoherence and timidity in public appearances which Senator Oshiomhole is already using to his advantage.The Oshiomhole/Denco’s original opposition and intimidation of Okpebholo is potent.The present conqueror disposition of Oshiomhole and the underdog disposition of Okpebholo will not help Esan oh.
The Esan people should concentrate on protecting Akpakomiza from Oshiomhole both in the senate and in the party.He should learn fast and not be Oshiomhole’s boy in the name of “My Leader”.
As for the PDP candidate, Barr Asue Ighodalo, he has been in the engine room of the APC and the PDP administrations in the State as a member of the economic teams in Oshiomhole’s and Obaseki’s administrations. From what we have seen in Obaseki’s coming from the economic team to the governor’s seat, it is sensible to conclude that the PDP candidate has been prepared for the job. His exposure in the boardrooms of many multinational companies and the establishment and management of a world class legal firm is certainly a plus in his preparation for the job.
The State governor, Obaseki, who worked with Asue in Oshiomhole’s era and now his ( Obaseki’s) own administration, has endorsed him as a competent and worthy successor.
Governor Obaseki has not only supported the “Justice and Fairness” principle in the Esan Agenda agitation, he has helped in head hunting for a capable Esan man to succeed him. All Esan people should appreciate the governor by supporting the PDP candidate, Barr Asue Ighodalo.
The strongest pillar of the Esan Agenda is “the Justice and Fairness” and this does not stop at producing the governor, it should go full-scale by we the Esan people ensuring that there is also Justice and Fairness within the Esan Agenda environment of Okpebholo and Agbazilo. The two Esan men who have been governors in the past (Prof Ambrose Alli and Prof Oserheimen Osunbor) are from the Okpebholo axis. It should be the turn of Agbazilo now and thus, the PDP’s candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, is from Agbazilo. He should be supported by all Esan voters (PDP, APC, LP, YPP, et al.).
After all, what we want is a capable Edo governor of Esan extraction, who would do for Esan what Oshiomhole did for Edo North and Obaseki has done in Edo South and not necessarily the party he comes from.
We want a typical Esan man; intelligent, confident, strong, stubborn and competent like Osunbor and Alli. Barr Asuelimen Ighodalo of the PDP fits in perfectly.
I rest my case..
Hon James Imoisili, a retired Director in Edo State Public Service, formerly Chairman, Esan Central LG (Transition), formerly Adviser, Esan Central LG, formerly Board Member, Hospitals Management Board, is a prolific author and publisher of the book Esan Greetings and Culture in Contemporary Nigeria.
