Edo Guber: The Lessons For Obaseki

• Edo Guber

It was such a relief that the Edo governorship election has not only come and gone, but also without the rivers of blood that was predicted to flow along with it.

Bookmakers had predicted that there would be massive violence.

The Oba of Benin had to intervene. So was the National Peace Committee headed by former Head of State, Gen Abdusallam Abubakar and Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah.

Thankfully, the interventions were effective and helpful in stemming the tide of violence which had threatened to mar the polls.

It is no longer news that incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki won the election, beating, for the second time, his arch political rival, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, his fellow Bini man.

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It was a tough contest. His former godfather, turned adversary, Adams Oshiomhole had literally staked his political life for this contest.

It is likely to be his last political outing. It ended sadly for him.

It is worse that he had lost out at the national level, and now at the state level.

Except something significant happens to redeem and reboost his political profile, Oshiomhole may begin to suffer political orphanage.

I read a joke cautioning all jubilant Obaseki supporters to do it with caution, since the Supreme Court has not “voted”.

That tells a lot of story: how the Supreme Court can intervene to change the political fortune of gladiators.

But it is instructive that unless something else happens, Obaseki is as good as having secured his second term.

Mr President, the head of the opposition party, had congratulated him.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) which had initially rejected the outcome of the election, has also followed suit to congratulate Obaseki.

If we take these as accepting the outcome of the election, then Osadebey House is going to continue to host Obaseki for another four years.

But what are the lessons from the contest for Obaseki?

First, he must realize that as victorious as he was (with his 307,955 votes), as many as over 260,000 voters did not want him to be returned.

That is not a figure that he should dismiss. Now he has won.

He has to be the governor of those who wanted him and those who did not want him.

But more importantly, he must introspect to find out why those who voted against him did so.

It is good he has extended the hand of fellowship to those who fought against him ,particularly Oshiomhole and Ize-Iyamu. He must be magnanimous in victory and seek to carry everyone along.

To see himself as the political conquistador of Edo State would be to miss the point.

During the campaigns, a lot was said. He was described as an MoU governor.

Now that he has won, it is time to activate the content, essence and benefit of those MoUs. It is time to put words to action.

His campaign promises should always be his mirror and check.

Another lesson for Obaseki is to indeed perish the thought of him being the latest godfather on the Edo landscape.

If his victory is acclaimed to have been the formal burial of godfatherism in the state, he should not seek to awaken the ghost, image or silhouette of godfathersim in the state, four years after.

As he would have seen, not only is it a malappropriation of the will of the people, it is even more dangerous to go against your avowals.

Oshiomhole had vowed to abolish godfatherism. He went full circle to practice what he condemned.

Hear him: “A situation where one man decides, has been abolished. All I want is for power to move to the people.

The people should decide who becomes their leader and that leader will not be answerable to any godfather, but to them.”

But sadly, Oshiomhole wanted to be the Alpha and Omega in Edo Politics, something he condemned so strongly against late Chief Tony Anenih.

So, Obaseki should steer clear of the temptation to play the Lord of Edo politics.

But more importantly, is the question of whether Obaseki will soon be adopted as a godson by another godfather.

Already, observers are touting Gov Nyesom Wike of Rivers State of being his godfather. The latter is brutal and politically uncouth.

Becoming his godson, would be hurtful ultimately to the image and psyche of the people of Edo State. As they say, Obaseki must “shine his eyes”

As a newly elected governor, one who was supported by a network of governors and many interested individuals, Obaseki must be careful in knowing how to manage and deal with his many political IOUs, such that it does not impede the development of Edo State.

He was accused of scuttling the idea behind the Specialist Hospital, in Benin which his predecessor built to a near-finish point.

Obaseki is said to have brought consultants to run the hospital and that the ordinary Edo people no longer have access to the facility.

It is in Obaseki’s place to take proper notice of all the criticisms he received during the campaigns and work towards addressing those ones that are truly valid and would be beneficial to the ordinary man on the street.

All said, I therefore congratulate the governor on this historic victory and wish him greater feats ahead.