In Edo, an era is ending. And a new one is beginning. For close to eight years, the man who has called the shots in this state with great history is Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole. Sirens announce his arrival and departure from events. The state feeds him, clothes him, ensures his security and sees to it that he is in good health. He decides people’s fate. In short, he can be likened to the generalissimo.
Like everything which has time, the Oshiomhole era is drawing to a close. It will in a matter of weeks become the Godwin Obaseki era. Edo has chosen a new generalissimo, with the help of Oshiomhole. He will be crowned in November.
The comrade-governor can now take a deserved rest with his beautiful wife Iara. I recommend that His Excellency and Iara should go to the Caribbean and have a time of their life. The comrade governor should let his guards down and live as though he is in his late 30s.
Before leaving for the Caribbean, ?he should hold a major thanksgiving service, aside the victory party where he danced like it was going out of fashion. He has had eight good years as governor. He has done so much good for his people and to crown it all, he is leaving the state in the hands of a trusted ally.
With Obaseki, Oshiomhole has won a major battle. He can be rest assured that his back is covered. Not that they will not have disagreements but I doubt if they will have the type that will mean every day we will be served one real or created scandal or the other, as would have been the case if Osagie Ize-Iyamu had won.
The campaigns were raw and rough. Though there were several candidates, it was clear to the discerning that the race is two-horse. And the duo wasted no time on other candidates. Obaseki abused only Ize-Iyamu, who also did not waste his time trading insults with any other person than the man credited with being the egg-head behind Oshiomhole’s economic team.
In the fight for the Government House, history was thrown in the ring. We were reminded that Obaseki’s great grand-father betrayed the Oba of Benin— and by extension the Benin kingdom— when he accepted to be the sole administrator of the kingdom after the British invasion. So, Edo people were told that someone from such lineage should not be supported to rule Edo. At a point, a film by Lancelot Oduwa-Imasuen on the history of Benin kingdom was even circulated to show to the people that the so-called act of betrayal is not the figment of anyone’s imagination.
The exciting Edo race saw Africa’s richest man Alhaji Aliko Dangote being punched. Those who did this believed he backed Obaseki. They asked him to leave Edo alone. They said they did not want a governor who would be hopping in and out of Dangote’s private jet.
Ize-Iyamu told us Obaseki was a “typical green horn”, who should be rejected in the September 10 election because Oshiomhole could easily manipulate him. He described our dear Osho baba as a Pseudo Comrade, whose candidate should be rejected for subjecting the people to untold hardship in the past seven and a half years. He also described Obaseki as Oshiomhole’s puppet. He challenged the outgoing governor and Obaseki to explain how they allegedly depleted the state’s treasury.
Edo Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman Chief Dan Orbih told us that the governor spent N11.6 million to “buy drinks” for President Muhammadu Buhari; he wondered how Buhari, a Muslim, could be bought alcohol.
The insults were not one-sided. We were told Ize-Iyamu served in the administration of Chief Lucky Igbinedion and was part of the rot of that era. We were also told that Ize-Iyamu was a cultist in his days at the University of Benin (UNIBEN). His membership of the Pyrate Confraternity co-founded by the respected Prof Wole Soyinka, who by the way is a great friend of Oshiomhole, was interpreted to mean he was a member of a dreaded secret cult.
His explanation that Pyrate or Seadogs was not (and is still not) a secret cult as it was well-known to the authorities of the universities where it operated did not stop his traducers from continuing to repeat the allegation. To buttress their point, they referred to the fact that he was expelled from UNIBEN at some point after an acid attack on a student. He gave his explanations, but still the allegation kept being thrown in the mix.
Aside the cultism issue, we were also told that Ize-Iyamu had answers to give to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) about some financial malfeasance.
Ize-Iyamu sold himself as the experienced one. As a former chief of staff and secretary to the state government (SSG), he said he had all he needed to swing into action from day one.
One fact that was shown clearly in this race is that for Ize-Iyamu and his party, the real enemy went beyond Obaseki. They saw Oshiomhole as the one that must be cut to size. The pastor-turned-politician told us what an ingrate he considered Oshiomhole. He told us how he made Oshiomhole governor— a claim the comrade gleefully denied. Both men used to be pals. There may be some exaggerations here and there but the fact that Ize-Iyamu played a key part in the emergence of the former Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President as Edo State governor is not that hidden.
Some may say the comrade governor should not rejoice yet, as Ize-Iyamu may spring a surprise by proving that the election was manipulated. To those who share such view, time will tell that they are wrong.
Given the apex court’s position that one witness each should be called from each polling unit, I am afraid nobody can prove election fraud again. It is impossible for a petitioner to be able to achieve this. The lawyers on the defendants’ side always ensure there is no enough time to call them to the witness box.
In the case of Rivers State, which for instance, has over 4,000 polling units, the petitioners had less than two weeks to call witnesses, who must also be cross-examined. The same rule applied in Akwa Ibom and others. This ensured no governor was removed on account of election petitions.
The rule will not be changed in the case of Edo State. I sincerely believe calling such number of witnesses cannot be done within the available time. I am afraid proving electoral fraud using the Supreme Court’s model will be impossible.
Now electoral bandits can even kill, maim, rape and raze and their opponents have all kinds of legal boundaries that time will not allow them cross successfully.
If I have my way I will just tell Ize-Iyamu not to waste his money because with the Supreme Court obviously applying the more arcane technical legality in resolving governorship tussles, he will only succeed in swelling the pockets of lawyers.
The Crown Prince of Benin has certainly put a closure on the election. It is won and lost and he is happy with the outcome, he told Oshiomhole, his wife Iara, Obaseki and leaders of the APC who visited him at his palace.
The Oba-in-waiting said: “I thank God and our ancestors for hearing the fervent prayers we prayed before the election and for bringing out somebody that will uplift our people and respect the tradition. I will tell the governor elect, keep to your promises, keep your words, put food on the table of our people, respect the traditional institution and ensure you build on what Oshiomhole has done.
“The passion and respect Oshiomhole has for our tradition is number one. Oshiomhole is today a Benin son of the palace. He is one governor who has catapulted the image of the Oba of Benin and our tradition to the highest level. Oshiomhole is a different type of governor and we urge Obaseki to emulate him.”
Like an obedient servant, Obaseki assured the palace of his unalloyed loyalty. His hand was clasped in some form of submission while appealing to the Crown Prince to always guide him and give him the deserved advice to succeed as governor.
“I will do my best and let me also appeal that you help me thank Comrade Oshiomhole because without his full support I would not have been governor elect today.”
My final take: PDP says its lawyers are working to prove that Ize-Iyamu won and my response is: I dey laugh o. With the precedent set by the Supreme Court, it will end in nullity because the burden of proof is unattainable. Or, does Ize-Iyamu have a special wand to turn back the hands of time?
