The 2024 governorship election in Edo State is fast approaching. The various political parties contesting the election have since elected their candidate to fly the party flag. The election which is scheduled to hold in September 2024 will feature the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Labour Party (LP), APGA, NNPP, among others.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of the PDP will be completing his second term in office by November 2024. Consequently, his party the PDP has elected Barr. Asue Ighodalo as the governorship candidate, with the incumbent Secretary to State Government, Barr. Osarodion Ogie, as his running mate. The APC governorship candidate is Senator Monday Okpebholo a.k.a Akpakomiza, while Hon. Dennis Idahosa a.k.a Denco is his running mate. The Labour Party flag bearer is Barr. Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata. The NNPP governorship candidate is Dr. Azemhe Azena.
However, the two major contending political parties to watch are the PDP and APC.
The PDP is the ruling party in Edo State, while the APC is the ruling party at the federal level. The PDP is campaigning with the slogan “Continuity” while APC’s campaign slogan is “Change”. In other words, the 2024 Edo State governorship election is between Continuity and Change. These two concepts would be highlighted in this article against the background of what it means politically and its implication for the people and the political parties.
Continuity in this context means an uninterrupted administration or governance, while change refers to a different position, course or direction. In other words, change means to replace with another, or undergo a modification. In this present political scenario in Edo State APC wants to replace PDP in the state. The question is, how possible could that be?
The PDP is campaigning with continuity because it has a sitting governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, to look up to. The PDP has something on ground in terms of achievements to show for the seven and a half years of Governor Obaseki. Governor Obaseki no doubt would prefer a candidate who will be able to continue with his vision, mission and agenda, as well as complete some of the projects already started but yet to be completed. The PDP and Governor Obaseki have a good story to tell. For instance, the Obaseki-led administration has executed many road projects across the three senatorial districts of Edo State. In the education sector, the Obaseki administration has many credits. For example, he introduced the Edo State Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) programme. His administration was able to train over 25,000 teachers on the use of ICT and other methodologies in teaching. Many primary and secondary schools across the state were reconstructed. Governor Obaseki also reconstructed the State School of Nursing, the College of Agriculture Iguoriakhi, and the College of Education at Igueben, Abudu and Afuze. The PDP-led government in Edo State also carried out several infrastructure development at the state-owned Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, while the Benin Technical College was revamped and re-packaged.
In the energy and power sectors, the PDP-led administration in the state facilitated the construction of the Ossiomo power plant and the Modular Refinery at Ologbo. The Obaseki administration also established the ethanol plant at Obaretin.
In the area of sport, the PDP/Obaseki administration reconstructed the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium to an international standard, while the Bendel Insurance Football club was rebranded and repackaged to the extent that it was promoted to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
In the area of infrastructure, the PDP/Obaseki administration constructed and completed the blocks A,B,C and D of the State Secretariat building with additional Treasury House building, creche and restaurant. The state judiciary received a boost with the construction of additional court buildings and office accommodation for judicial workers. The PDP/Obaseki administration constructed the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA) where civil and public servants have training on different aspects of leadership, management, ICT, procurement, financial management and more. This has greatly improved the capacity and efficiency of civil and public servants, thereby increasing productivity.
The PDP/Obaseki administration in the past seven and a half years introduced electronic governance, otherwise known as e-gov. This means that government official business is now transacted online seamlessly. The Information Communication and Technology Agency (ICTA) was created to train workers on the use of ICT. Government purchased and distributed computer laptops to workers with free internet connectivity to ease their job on the e-gov. Workers’ salary is paid on or before every 25th of the month. Governor Obaseki is the only state governor in Nigeria that is paying N40,000 minimum wage to workers, while pensioners are not left out in the increase and prompt payment of pensions. Workers get promoted as and when due with the accruing financial benefits.
The PDP/Obaseki administration has a very good story to tell compared to the APC that is preaching change. The PDP/Obaseki-led government has been able to construct a new shopping mall, an international museum and education hub, all in Benin City. These will no doubt impact positively on the socio-economic lives of the people. The Edo Production Hub and the Innovation Hub were established by the PDP/Obaseki administration to provide opportunity for citizens with innovative and creative minds to exhibit their potential with the view to earning a living and also becoming employers of labour. Talking about creativity in the media and entertainment industry, the PDP/Obaseki administration established the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub in the former premises of The Nigerian Observer, Benin City.
In the information and communication sector, the PDP/Obaseki administration rebranded The Nigerian Observer and constructed a new printing press. Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS) had its own share of the development. For instance, there was a major reconstruction of the infrastructure in EBS, while contract for the purchase and installation of digital broadcasting equipment was awarded to boost its output and coverage.
One could go on and on to reel out the numerous achievements of PDP/Obaseki administration in the past seven and a half years in Edo State. These lofty projects coupled with the vision, mission and agenda of Governor Obaseki are the reasons the PDP and the Asue Ighodalo/Osarodion Ogie ticket are campaigning for continuity. If another political party wins, the tendency is that it will not continue with these projects, vision, mission and agenda started by Governor Obaseki.
What does the APC that is campaigning for change have to offer? Since 2015 the APC has been in charge of the Federal Government. What story do Nigerians have to tell about APC leadership in Nigeria? Since then it has been a case of sorrow, tears and blood. For instance, the APC Federal Government has not been able to combat the growing insecurity in Nigeria, which has claimed thousands of innocent lives. In the fight against corruption, one of the pillars on which the APC came to power, it has been total disaster as corruption and looting of public funds worsened under the APC-led Federal Government. Under APC leadership, Nigerians heard that snake and monkey swallowed billions of naira. For nine years now the APC-led Federal Government has failed to reconstruct federal roads leading in and out of Edo State. The federal roads have become death traps and easy spots for criminals and kidnappers to carry out their evil acts.
Since the inauguration of the administration of President Bola Tinubu, Nigerians have been grappling with increase in the cost of goods and services despite promising Nigerians renewed hope during electioneering campaign. The changes President Tinubu brought have caused the people more pains, suffering, hardship and poverty. For instance, the removal of subsidy on petroleum products led to increase in the prizes of goods and services. The naira depreciated speedily against major international currencies in the forex market. As if that was not enough, the APC/Tinubu-led Federal Government increased electricity tariff, thereby causing more economic hardship to Nigerians and manufacturers. Despite the hardship caused by APC/Tinubu’s policies, the Federal Government has refused to consider the increase of minimum wage for works to improve their purchasing power. Yet, APC is talking of renewed hope and campaigning with change mantra in the Edo 2024 gubernatorial election.
It is obvious to Nigerians in general and Edo people in particular that APC has failed to renew the hope of Nigerians. There is nothing good to hope for in an APC-led government. The APC has no good story to tell, because its leaders lack the courage, political will and capacity to bring about positive change whether in Edo State or Nigeria, otherwise they would have exhibited or implemented the changes since 2015 that the party has been in power at the federal level.
Edo people are now more politically conscious and enlightened to know when they are being deceived or told lies. A party or government established on deceit will need to lie and continue to deceive the people to remain relevant. That is where the PDP/Ighodalo continuity and APC/Okpebholo change slogans differ. It is very clear that Edo State people are ready to go with continuity against the background of the numerous achievements of the PDP/Obaseki-led administration in the state.
It is often said that you don’t change a winning and performing team. Therefore, there is nothing APC is coming to change in Edo’s socio-economic and political landscape. However, there are lots of good policies, projects, vision, mission and agenda that PDP/Asue Ighodalo need to continue with for the benefit of the state and the people. The gains of continuity of PDP government in Edo State outweigh the unrealistic change of APC. It is better to go with the party the people know and have tested and trusted than so-called party with deceitful change slogan of hopelessness.*
Egharevba, a political commentator, writes from Benin City.
