Di Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) don declare Monday Okpebholo of di All Progressives Congress (APC) as di winner of di Edo State governorship election wey happen on Saturday, September 21, 2024.
Okpebholo defeat im main challenger Asue Ighodalo of di ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and 15 oda contestants to come out as di govnor-elect of Edo State, and e go wait now until November before e go take di oath of office.
Political sabi pipo don dey chook mouth on some of di factors wey play a part in why di PDP wey be di incumbent party lose di election, and di APC win.
Some independent election observers condemn some aspects of di election as dem tok say dem witness some ojoro for di election process “including intimidation of INEC officials and attempts to collate results contrary to di provisions of di Electoral Act”, according to a joint statement by seven of di civil society groups wey monitor di election.
Di civil organizations under di aegis of di Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room, Yiaga Africa, Kimpact Development Initiative, Nigerian Woment Trust Fund, ElectHer and TAF Africa tok for statement one day afta di exercise say dem dey worry about di credibility of di electoral process.
However, some sabi pipo for Nigeria politics tok say even before di election day, some factors don dey ground to suggest how di election fit go.
Internal crisis management
Di APC manage dia internal crisis better dan di PDP, according to Onwuasoanya FCC Jones, a political and current affairs analyst.
“Afta di primary election wia Monday Okpebholo emerge as APC candidate, you remember say Dennis Idahosa wey also follow for di contest bin go to court, but di APC later settle di matter and make Idahosa di running mate to Okpebholo,” FCC Jones tok.
“But in di case of di PDP, you see how Govnor Obaseki take handle di matter wit im former Deputy Phillip Shaibu who bin contest di PDP primary election, sotay e impeach Shaibu for office and force am out of di party.”
Obaseki go ahead to appoint anoda pesin to replace Shaibu as deputy govnor, and even wen one court for Abuja nullify Shaibu impeachment, di govnor no gree reinstate am.
For one interview wit Arise TV dis Monday, Phillip Shaibu allege say Obaseki bin insult evribodi wey bin help am become govnor, including Adams Oshiomhole and Dan Orbih. “E just tell evribodi to go to hell,” Shaibu tok.
- Edo state govnorship election final result
- ‘I go start from wia Adams Oshiomhole stop’ – Monday Okpebholo
- Edo State govnorship election: ‘I dey disappointed’ – Asue Ighodalo
Di Oba of Benin theory
For March dis year, tori come out say two chiefs for di Benin Kingdom, bin sue di Oba of Benin to court sake of how e suspend di two of dem from office.
Di chiefs – Gregory Akenzua and Edomwonyi Ogiegbaen – tok say na only di state govnor get power to suspend dem as chiefs not di Oba.
But di tori wey fly around dat time be say na di state goment headed by Obaseki carry di Oba go court.
Even wen di goment issue a statement to deny di tori, e don already go far and e don cause bad name for Obaseki goment.
“Di Oba of Benin na one of di most revered traditional leaders for Africa, e dey old pass di political institution, so e no easy for Obaseki and im goment to recover from di damage wey dat saga cause to am,” FCC Jones tell BBC Pidgin.
“You see say di PDP lose for Obaseki local goment area, even as a Bini man wey im be. Dat na to tell you how dat wahala wit di Oba affect am.”
Adams Oshiomhole and Nyesom Wike influence
During di Edo State govnorship election of 2020, wen Godwin Obaseki dey run for im second term in office, im former oga Adams Oshiomhole no support am, but e bin get di support of im deputy Philip Shaibu and also Nyesom Wike, who dat time na di govnor of Rivers State.
Dat year, Nyesom Wike na di campaign leader of Obaseki, and e dey for Edo State for days until di election.
“But today, you fit tok say Wike, Oshiomhole and Shaibu don dey togeda and dem no support Obaseki, so e dey hard to see PDP win dis election,” oga FCC Jones tell BBC Pidgin.
‘Obaseki na disruptor’
One Edo State citizen wey tok to BBC Pidgin on top dis matter, gree say na powerful politicians come togeda “to teach Govnor Obaseki lesson”, but no be bicos im do anytin bad, rather na bicos “e no dey do politics like Nigerian politicians”.
Theo Ekhator tok say im go give Obaseki over 70% for im two terms as govnor, “but im kind of govnor no be di type wey politicians dey like”.
“For instance, bifor-bifor, na some individuals dey collect goment revenue for di state, and dem suppose to dey remit am to goment, but wetin we dey see na revenue collectors dey build house and buy property.
“Obaseki come put in place a system wia di revenue go dey go straight into goment purse. Those pipo wey e comot food for dia mouth dem go dey happy wit am?
“Wen you hear pipo dey tok say ‘Obaseki step on toes’, na true, but ask dem wetin exactly Obaseki do? Di only tin e do wrong be say e no dey share money.”
Ekhator tok say im no dey support any political party but im know say di way Nigeria politics dey, pipo like Obaseki no dey too survive for politics.
“So even though I no happy wit di result of di election, e no shock me.”
‘Highest bidder, highest rigger win’
According to Jake Epelle, di founder of TAF Africa wey follow for di elections observer group for di Edo elections, wetin happen for di election na “di highest bidder and highest rigger win”.
Oga Epelle tok dis one for interview wit Channels TV on Monday as e tok say both di PDP and APC bin dey involved in vote buying and election malpractice.
“I think say we don dey see a playbook of wetin go happen for future. If we no take time to correct some of dis issues, you go see di same tin go happen even in Ondo or even in 2027,” Epelle tok.
“E dey unfortunate say di political class don decide to rubbish di democratic values and dividends wey we all dey work hard to achieve.”
- APC candidate senator Monday Okpebholo become Edo govnor-elect
- Edo governorship election result by Local government
- ‘My silence na very strong weapon for me’ – Senator Monday Okpebholo
- ‘Except crase enta na di kain tin I don do before, I go do if I become govnor of Edo State’ – Asue Ighodalo
