Unless the courts adjudicate against the declared results of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) party primaries for their governorship tickets in Edo State, two “sons of Esan Land” will be the main contenders and the ethnic card will not be played and other factors will be of primary importance.
The PDP candidate, Asuen Ighodalo, and the APC candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, exemplify the dichotomy in governorship candidates nationwide. Ighodalo is touted as a “technocrat”. This category of Nigerians, similar to current Governor Obaseki, are not grounded in political philosophy, principles, compassion, socio-economic benefits, and respect for the fundamental rights of citizens.
They refer to themselves as “financial gurus”, consider themselves to be experts in executive management, beat their chests over successes in making money in the corporate world, and somehow believe that this would make them good governors. Senator Okpebholo is touted as an “experienced politician” despite his experience being limited to being a Senator since 2023.
Herein lies the problem for Edo voters. Experience has taught them that while “technocrats” seldom do well in governance, politicians seek office mainly for personal gain. Technocrats make money through exploiting people, resources and opportunities. Compassion is not a trait of successful technocrats, however, after achieving personal wealth by any means, as they get closer to their graves, their consciences touch them and they set up charitable foundations fully expecting to be feted for simply returning a small part of their ill-gotten wealth to those whose suffering was in part caused by their actions when accumulating wealth!
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The problem with technocrats in governance is that the goals of business leadership and those of political leadership are completely different. Technocrats mouth off about increasing Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) as if these achievements positively impact on the citizenry.
Elementary economics explains that increasing GDP doesn’t necessarily positively impact the majority of citizens who live below the international poverty line. Indeed, GDP always increases in situations where a few billionaires are created while the majority descends into poverty. As for increasing IGR, any increase simply represents increased suffering for citizens. Rather than tax the wealth of the super-rich, “technocrat” governors give them tax waivers while extorting from the poor. They beat their chests over inflicting increased hardship while condemnably all they do with the money is renovating luxurious government houses, and to purchase fleets of SUVs for their further comfort! Increases in IGR are seldom if ever beneficial towards citizens.
As for Senator Okpebholo, after a successful career in business, he now belongs to the group of Nigerians who are mainly responsible for the nation’s problems. The Senate has long since lost the respect of Nigerians due to their routine treasury looting antics with constituency projects, self-granted personal benefits, and budget padding.
However, Okpebholo is well-known, popular and has previously distinguished himself with compassionate projects in Esan Land. Unlike Ighodalo he has a long history of philanthropic goodwill towards Esan people and a record of numerous acts of compassion and donations towards uplifting his people.
Although the main election battle is supposedly between Okpebholo and Ighodalo, a bigger battle of egos is looming between President Tinubu and Governor Obaseki. Four years ago, Obaseki displayed his total lack of political principles by defecting from the APC where he was imposed as governor despite massive objections and his lack of political antecedents, and running to the PDP who defied all their party principles to appoint him, a novice party member, as their candidate.
Top PDP officers who welcomed Obaseki with open arms have lived to regret their unprincipled decision as they have become sidelined while Obaseki is now the “sole administrator” to the extent that he now feels entitled to force yet another unknown political entity upon the party in defiance of party regulations.
Obaseki’s tenure has proved that under normal circumstances the position of governor should not be the first political appointment for a politically naïve aspirant. Unfortunately, in Nigeria, the position is referred to as “Executive Governor” reminiscent of the “Sole Administrators” of the military era. The concept of joint decision-making and consensus has been jettisoned and as Deputy Governor Phillip Shaibu will testify, the consequences of disagreeing with an executive governor are severe, whether you are right or wrong!
For reasons best known to himself, Obaseki fully expects the PDP to hold on to Edo State even after both former APC governor, Oshiomhole, whom he betrayed, and President Tinubu an APC president believe that Edo is an APC state which he “stole” and must now be returned to the “rightful owner”. In truth neither Obaseki nor Tinubu both of whose policies have inflicted increased suffering and who are both immensely unpopular in Edo have any moral right to impose a governor on Edo people.
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