By Ehichioya Steve Odion
Retrospect to 2020 Edo Governorship election. It is not out of place to remind Edo people the role played by the key actors in that Governorship election. Because it may help to shapen what may likely play out in the 2024 Governorship election in Edo State.
In case you have forgotten, prior to the primary of the Peoples Democratic party, PDP, before the election that took place in September 19, 2020, the three major contenders were Engr. Gideon Ikhine, Barr. Kenneth Imansuangbon and Hon. Ogbeide Ihama who were already strong in their campaigns for the PDP primary election before Governor Godwin Obaseki was suddenly admitted into the party.
Governor Obaseki coming into the party at that critical period generated so much heat in the PDP as the issue now became a big gamble for the party. Meaning, if the Governor Obaseki is admitted into the PDP to pick the party ticket, they will now automatically become the ruling government in Edo State. But on the other hand, if the three aspirants then who were working day and night to clinch the party's ticket were forced to step down for Governor Obaseki and got angry and decided to leave PDP to other parties with their supporters, it may make them to lose the election and probably power will again return to APC where Governor Obaseki was coming from.
Trust politicians. At this stage, the game became set and series of marathon meetings were now going on, day and night on how to resolve the issue so that the party will not lose out completely having stayed out of power in Edo for 12 years.
As for those politicians whose liveliholds depended on politics they had to fight the battle of their lives. At that time the PDP leaders were at cross road and were now at the mercy of the three aspirants who had already bought their expression of interest forms for the primary election. If they had refused to step down at that time , no doubt it would have been a sorry state for the leaders of the party.
After several meetings of negotiations and persuations with the three major contenders by the leaders of the party, those aspirants who would have ended Governor Obaseki's ambition to secure second term, yielded to the plea of the leaders and willingly stepped down for Governor Obaseki to secure the party's ticket.
Finally, the leaders of the party sighed a breath of relief and a deal was struck between the leadership of the party and Gov Obaseki. Thereafter, Governor Obaseki finally decamped to the PDP and the Governorship ticket was handed over to him without any objections.
Later, there were allegations that huge undisclosed amounts of money were given to the party leaders by Gov. Obaseki to compensate for facilitating the negotiations with the three aspirants. All that is now history.
The focus here are for those aspirants who invested so much money and time in campaigning round all the local governments during the period with their supporters who were made to drop their ambitions. However, it could not be ascertained what the agreement reached with Governor Obaseki before they agreed to step down.
But later the news came to the public domain that the three aspirants, Engr. Gideon Ikhine, Barr. Kenneth Imansuangbon and Hon. Ogbeide Ihama negotiated individually with Gov. Obaseki before they agreed to step down. The information available then also indicated that Gov. Obaseki allegedly paid for all the expenses incurred by Barr. Imasuangbon and Hon. Ogbeide Ihama in the primary as compensation before stepping down, although there was no evidence to back such claims. Another information also indicated that Engr. Ikhine did not collect a dime from Gov. Obaseki before stepping down for him.
There are lessons to learn in this write up, as one of the Aspirants in the matter, Engr. Ikhine displayed his maturity in politics by taking a decision that is difficult for many politicians to take in a time like this. Even without taking a compensation he could as well have decided to quit the party with his followers as is usually done by others.
But, because of Engr Ikhine's unwavering commitment and support for his party PDP, he decided to forgo the plum job of being the first citizen of Edo State, believing that party's decision is supreme and that another chance will come in the future.
Engr. Ikhine did not only forgo many things, but equally donated his campaign office to Gov. Obaseki in a very colourful ceremony that took place in his campaign office which attracted who and who in politics in Edo State. He did not stop there, he equally ensured that all the workers in his campaign office were automatically deployed to work with the Obaseki campaign organization.
Engr. Ikhine did not also stop there, he made sure that he worked and supported Gov. Obaseki throughout his campaign period to ensure his victory at the poll. Because he believed that was the only way his stepping down can be meaningful and be remembered.
Could Edo 2024 Governorship election be the right time to reward this man of honour and respect? The man who believed in making sacrifice for others to move on in life? Will the party have the courage to call this man and say well done to him and reward him with the party ticket come 2024 Governoship election for standing out among the three Aspirants in 2020?
Lets watch out as political activities towards 2024 Edo Governoship election unfold.
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