2027: Oredo’s slippery political turf Edo APC mustn’t ignore, By Tony Erha

“Okuo na họn y’otọ ighi gbe adowẹ. Edo would reason that a war foretold, kills not the lamed. Therefrom, it may be timely and required, alerting the Edo State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party, that there are banana-peels dotting the Edo political setting, particularly the Oredo Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

In a situation that has apparently upset the political applecart and permutation of Oredo, Paddy Emmanuel Iyamu, who recently retired as the state Commissioner for Education, to vie for the Oredo Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives (HORs), Abuja, got his aspiration’s balloon punctured by a potent, and what seemed a generic vote against his political ambition.

Aiguobasinmwin Movement Worldwide, a frontline socio-cultural group that pursues Benin (Edo South) well-being, had through a press conference, cautioned the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), against fielding Iyamu in the election, for he allegedly had backed the creation of Toru Ebe and Anioma states, respectively, to be carved out from Edo. But, Edo South and the people of the state are against these. The group also said it had the premonition that a Paddy Iyamu, if elected to HORs, would similarly use the seat to achieve that same objective, and further thwart the interests of the constituents he supposedly represents.

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However, Iyamu got engaged in a war of words over the allegations linking him to the proposed states creation, which he said were false and baseless.

But, there are grudges and bottled-up feeling of alienation by many of its members, statewide against the party. Edo APC is mostly seen as unable to effectively manage its success, after the party retrieved governorship power from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), when Senator Monday Okpebholo won the 2024 election.

“We have seen the collateral damages imposition of unpopular flagbearers like Mr. Godwin Obaseki, could cause APC. When Paddy Iyamu was appointed a commissioner, the actual decision by the state party, was that other elective positions like those of the State House of Assembly and HORs be reserved for members who had worked tirelessly to fund and retain the Oredo APC, due to the offensives of the Obaseki’s government against us”

Said a notable APC member from Oredo, on anonymity request, who further asserted;

“We have Governor Okpebholo, who set a tall target of Edo APC winning 3.5 million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the 2027 presidential election. How is Edo APC going to achieve that when things are not going well done by the party? I am not accusing Governor Okpebholo, who is doing very well in the state”.

Figuratively, the state is aptly nicknamed the ‘Heartbeat’ of the country, where Benin City would be the Hemoglobin, which stabilises the oxygenated blood. Imperatively, Oredo LGA becomes the ‘Systole’ that pumps oxygenated blood to activate the heartbeat and the heart.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), authorised umpire of the election, had advertised its schedules. The elections are in a cluster, in 2027, featuring the state house of assembly, governorship, national assembly, and presidential elections.

Edo the governorship election etches a gap in the run of the general elections, like in some states of the federation. That means that Edo governorship election is staggered or held differently.

In order to get standard bearers of political parties to contest in the different elective positions of the aforementioned three election stanzas, in Edo, a bazaar of political office seekers are is having restless nights, jostling for the very few open legislative chances.

“Sokpan, ẹmila ni bun ighi sẹtin wọn amẹn vbẹ ikoba ọkpa”. But, many heads of the cow can’t drink water from a bucket, simultaneously, without locking the horns”. Party primaries are like marathons, where there are contenders and pretenders. Separating a man amongst the boys or “detaching a woman from the girls” finally sorts it out.”

Adams Oshiomhole, former governor of the state and a serving senator representing Edo North constituency of the state, in the Abuja’s Red Chamber, is not always without puns and punches. Oshioquake, as he is fondly called, once told this writer in the controversial party primaries, in which he was widely criticized over his one-sided imposition of Godwin Obaseki, as APC governorship candidate, in the 2015 election;

“Aspirants for party primaries and party tickets are like the beautiful and the ugly girls. They all rub powder, pancake and lipsticks, in order to deceive the people that they are very beautiful. My comrade, Tony Erha, do you know it is an error to choose a wife on Christmas eves, where all girls are seen as beautiful?

But, Blessing Agbonmere, Austin Ilenre Emuan and Peter Esele, aspirants in the very primaries, held at the Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, who witnessed the exchange, could recollect, and that it was an error of judgement, that forewarned Oshiomhole, without him decoding that the Obaseki he chose, above others, was going to ‘fall his hands’.

I am not in APC, neither am I a party member. Administrative lapses, indiscipline, and office imposition are plagues to political parties. It is invitation to political disorderliness.

The Benin City heartland is surging and gummy. It is the more authentic ‘Heartbeat’ of the country – a cesspool and exit of ‘political heat and blizzards’ that spreads nationwide. In recent times, the ‘Obidients’, a political movement that shook the country to its foundation, was rekindled from the state capital – Oredo being the boiling cauldron.

Unknown by many, there is seething agitation at the background. My concern is that Edo APC handles its internal problems carefully, so as to avoid the spillovers.
“Enọ gha mu igbina ọka mu ẹzọ”. “Those who would later separate or douse a fight ought to have called for a peaceful settlement. But, it is disrespect or “who are you?” that sparks off quarrels and fights. Emwin na ma ru ẹse ẹre ọsiẹ ita lẹmwẹn, kẹke igbina – Indecent and defiant acts breed needless arguments and fights.

I scantily know Paddy Iyamu. I haven’t met him in person, excepting in still and motion pictures. He has a psychedelic look, and imposing airs of a well-fed son of an aristocrat.

Yet and still, its puzzling why he sooner abandoned the exalted education commissioner’s portfolio, to a wild goose chase for the HORs. Who are his advisers and his constituents that urged him to? Did he consult widely before the decision? What is wrong with the education helms he had tossed out? Was it no longer relevant to him? Did he tell Oredo voters these?

In the state, education is the most prominent industry that is given priority attention by the government, where education commissioner is idolised, because of his salient duties to students, parents and guidance.

Once upon a time, I had a it was stimulating meeting with Dr. Nosa Omoregie, a-performing education commissioner in the era of the late sage and former governor of the old Bendel State, Prof Ambrose Alli. Then, serving as the country’s President of the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN), and now an octogenarian, Dr. Omoregie gave me a bear-hug, as I assured him of being his mentee, alongside numerous students and youth of my era, who benefitted immensely from his good work.

Oftentimes, I went visiting Dr. Godswill Oghoghodo, a notable former educational commissioner of the state, in his law office, in Benin City. Where ever he goes, he is respected like Dr. Omoregie.

But, Paddy Iyamu’s constituents and Edo people stood to benefit more with him as education commissioner than a gamble for the national assembly seat.