Who gets Edo APC, PDP ticket? There will be no governorship election in Edo State next year. But, would-be state and federal lawmakers are battling for tickets of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Correspondent
THE race to secure the tickets of the major political parties, to vie for National Assembly seats in Edo State is degenerating into dirty fights in some instances. The political platforms where this struggle has been more pronounced are the Action Democratic Party (ADP), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
For the Edo PDP, the battle for the ticket was made relatively easy for incumbent National Assembly members, as they were all given automatic tickets. Those who secured the tickets without a fight are Hon. Omosede Igbinedion from Ovia Federal Constituency, Sergius Ogun of Esan Southeast/Esan Northeast Federal Constituency, Senator Clifford Ordia of Edo Central, Hon. Joe Edionwele of Esan West/Esan Central/Igueben Federal Constituency and Hon. Ogbeide Ihama of Oredo Federal Constituency.
In constituencies where the PDP has no representatives in the 8th National Assembly, there are sole aspirants seeking the party’s nod to contest the election. In Akoko Edo Federal Constituency, Mr. Oladele Bankole-Balogun is the sole aspirant. Mr. Abubakar Momoh is also the only aspirant for the Edo North senatorial ticket. In Owan Federal Constituency, Hon. Johnson Agbolagba is equally the sole aspirant.
But, in Estako Federal Constituency, there are three aspirants. They are: Blessing Agbonmhere, Donald Osikhena-Boih and Victor Okhaimho. Ikpoba-Okha/Egor Federal Constituency also has three aspirants. They are: Nosa Adams, Hon. Jude Ise-Idehen and Mrs. Itohan Ogbeide. For the Orhionmwon/Uhunmwode Federal Constituency seat, there are two aspirants, including Lady Uwa Osunbor.
The aspirants tipped to emerge as the party’s flag bearers in the constituencies that are still undecided are; Agbonmhere for Estako, Jude Ise-Idehen for Ikpoba-Okha/Egor and Uwa Osunbor for the Orhionmwon/Uhunmwode seat.
For the ruling APC, the battle is tough. The push by Governor Godwin Obaseki for consensus candidates failed in some areas, as some party chieftains insisted that some of the aspirants that emerged through the process were unpopular and so it would be a tough sell them to the people. The Edo APC successfully used the consensus arrangement for the party’s congresses and selection of its candidates for the local government election. Governor Obaseki, it was learnt, moved for a consensus arrangement to reduce the cost of securing party’s nomination as was experienced by him ahead of the 2016 governorship election.
The APC Secretary, Lawrence Okah, agrees with the governor’s position. He said in an interview recently that the last governorship election was a bitter experience for Governor Obaseki and the entire party structure, because it came at a huge cost to the aspirants. An aspirant for the House of Representatives, Mr. Isaac Osahon, who also backed the call to make campaigns less expensive, said Governor Obaseki was emphatic that he does not want aspirants to spend much to get the party’s nomination.
Osahon said the governor had stressed that he spent so much money in 2016 and would not want any aspirant to sell properties to seek for the party’s ticket.
After the failure of the consensus arrangement, the Edo APC caucus settled for the indirect primary option to elect its candidates. In Edo North, where the party’s National Chairman Comrade Adams Oshiomhole hails from, incumbent Senator Francis Alimekhena got automatic ticket after other aspirants stepped down for him. In Owan, Professor Julius Ihonvbere who is tipped to get the ticket will slug it out with the APC Legal Adviser, Mr. George Ohima, and Harrison Ehimiyen. It will be a two-race race for the Akoko Edo seat between incumbent Peter Akpatason and Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Kabiru Adjoto, while Hon. Johnson Oghuma who is currently representing Estako is battling one Julius Abuda for the party’s ticket.
The candidates likely to emerge in Edo North are: Senator Francis Alimekhena, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere and Johnson Oghuma. But, there are still doubts as to who will get the ticket in Akoko Edo between Akpatason and Adjoto. Prof. Ihonvbere’s desire was to go to the Senate, but he was asked to step down for Alimekhena and he obeyed. Oghuma appears to have the backing of the party, because he only got elected into the House of Representatives in 2017 after the exit of Philip Shaibu who became the Deputy Governor. Some APC leaders argue that Oghuma should be allowed to do another term, because he has only done half term.
Edo Central
In Edo Central, with five local government areas, the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. John Inegbedion, is locked in battle with a former member of the House of Representatives, Patrick Ikharhiale, for the APC senatorial ticket. Many party chieftains have penciled down Inegbedion as the likely candidate to emerge. The main challenger, Chief Francis Inegbeneki, stepped down from the race to support whoever the party structure is disposed to. The support for Inegbedion stems from the way he managed the party leadership in Igueben after the exit of Chief Tom Ikimi from the APC. Inegbedion secured victory for the party in the 2015 general elections in an area, which was supposed to be a stronghold of the PDP.
For the Esan Southeast/Esan Northeast Federal Constituency seat, Prince Odianosen Okojie, the husband of Nollywood actress Mercy Johnson, will slug it out with a former council chairman, Mr. Joseph Ikpea. Prince Okojie appears to be the party’s favourite to pick the ticket, because the APC wants to end the PDP’s dominance in the area. Ikpea is from Esan Southeast where the incumbent lawmaker, Sergius Ogun, hails from.
The aspirants for Esan West/Igueben//Esan Central Federal Constituency seat of the party are: Deputy Speaker Victor Edoror, Ojieomon Ebohon and Patrick Idiake. Idiake is said to be favoured to be the party’s candidate by consensus, but Edoror’s popularity may give him victory in direct primary.
Edo South
The battle for the APC ticket for Edo South is a straight fight between old foes, Emokpae Erhabor and Patrick Obahiagbon, who is more popularly known as Igodomigodo. Emokpae and Obahiagbon contested for the same senatorial ticket in 2015 and both of them lost to Samson Osagie. Obahiagbon is believed to have the backing of the party’s hierarchy, but Emokpae is not disturbed and has vowed not to step down. He denied reports that he has agreed to step down for his opponent and added that he has no intention of doing so, even though nobody has approached him.
Emokpae said: “I am not backing down. There is no such thing. The race, currently, is a two-horse race clearly between myself and my opponent and the contrast between the two of us could not be clearer.
“In Edo South, we need freedom of choice. Freedom of choice is the foundation of true democracy. So, we are going to have a democracy; the National Chairman has promised no less.
“I will do my best. I will present what I will do and the people will decide. I am working with the people and the people are behind the delegates.”
For the Oredo House of Representatives seat, Hon. Osaigbovo Iyoha and Osaro Obazee are in the race for the ticket. Iyoha who is the Chief Whip of the Edo State House of Assembly is believed to be the candidate that has the clout to defeat the incumbent lawmaker, Ogbeide Ihama. He may likely emerge the party’s candidate.
Hon. Ehiozuwa Agbonnayima, the lawmaker representing Ikpoba-Okha/Egor Federal Constituency is battling for the APC ticket with on Victor Obanor. Agbonnayima has secured the support of major party stakeholders in the area and is likely to be given the return ticket.
In Orhionmwon/Uhunmwode Federal Constituency, incumbent Patrick Aisowieren will have to defeat a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Elisabeth Ativie, to secure the party’s ticket. Aisowieren hails from Orhionmwon, while Ativie hails from Uhunmwode. The APC structure in Orhionmwon and majority of the leaders in Uhunmwode has endorsed Aisowieren to get a return ticket. So, he is likely to get the ticket.
The battle for the Ovia Federal Constituency seat is between Isaac Osahon and Dennis Idahosa. Osahon was in the House of Representatives between 2011 and 2015. He lost his return bid in 2015 to Omosede Igbinedion. It is not clear who will pick the ticket, as neither has agreed to step down.
Major aspirants that have picked the ADP ticket are Mr. Pius Alile, who is seeking to represent Ikpoba-Okha/Egor Federal Constituency. Alile recently sunk boreholes in some communities and graded some roads to woo voters. He said he would lobby other lawmakers to bridge the infrastructural deficits in the constituency.
Ese Owie, a son of a former Chief Whip of the Senate, also picked the ADP form to contest for the Senate. Owie who dismissed people referring to him to as daddy’s boy said he is contesting on his pedigree and achievements.
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