Politicians from APC and PDP battle for Edo North senatorial tickets, as political activities heighten across the country ahead of the 2015 general election, writes Special Correspondent, TITUS OISE.
In Edo as in most states in the country, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are the major political parties. It is on this ground that analysts see the 2015 election as a straight fight between the two in the state. This is especially as other parties in the state literally exist on the pages of newspapers. As political activities heighten across the country ahead of the 2015 general elections, the battle line is already drawn in Edo North Senatorial district, where aspirants are jostling for the senatorial tickets of the APC and PDP.
Those considered by analysts as serious contenders on the side of PDP are member of House of Representatives representing Etsako Federal Constituency, Abubakar Momoh; former member of Edo State House of Assembly, Pascal Ugbomeh; and an influential businessman, Richard Lamai. On the side of the APC are Senator Domingo Obende, Francis Alimekhena and Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Julius Ihonvbere.
Obende represents Edo North Senatorial District. He wants to return to the Senate. Based on complaints of non-performance from the people of the zone, it will be herculean for him to return to the Senate, according to critics. It was gathered that the moment Obende won the 2011 election into the National Assembly, he stopped identifying with the people in his constituency. An APC chieftain, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed our findings when he said: “This man (Obende) neither picks calls nor responds to text messages. Now that he wants to go back, let us see how he gets the party’s ticket.”
It was further gathered that Peter Akpatason, representing Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, is not in support of Obende, his Akoko-Edo kinsman. The analysis is that if Obende could not boast of the support of the Akoko-Edo people, then it will be difficult for the Etsako and Owan people to back his cause, an ambition the leaders of the party believe is dead on arrival.
Interestingly, the senator is not relenting in his bid to get his party’s nomination, on occasions, employing blackmail. It was for instance, learnt that he told Governor Adams Oshiomhole to give him the ticket for being a loyal party man, having reminded him that out of the two APC senators in the state, he’s the only one still with the party.
Senator Ehigie Uzamere, representing Edo South Senatorial District on APC platform, recently defected to the PDP.
Alimekhena, an APC chieftain, is equally in the Edo North senatorial race. Among his critics, he is seen as a serial contestant who has never picked any ticket. As things stand, his chances of securing the party ticket are considered low.
Ihonvbere, a Professor of Political Science and currently Edo SSG, is also in the race. Many see him as the aspirant to beat owing to his visible political structures in the state. He was aide to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and two-time governorship aspirant (2007 and 2012) on the platform of PDP. It was after the 2012 governorship primary that he dumped the PDP for the then ACN to help Oshiomhole secure a second term in office. According to Ihonvbere, who said the performance criteria were competence, quality representation and respect for the people, “if I were convinced that the incumbent (Obende) was operating at 30 to 35 per cent, I would not have contested against him. He is currently operating below 30 per cent. Edo North deserves better than that. We need somebody with intellectual depth and world view.”
As things stand, the battle for the APC senatorial ticket in Edo North is between Obende and Ihonvbere, but the latter seems to stand a better chance based on the structures on ground.
Recently, a popular socio-political group, Save Afenmai Group (SAG), after its meeting in Fugar in Etsako Central of Edo State, threatened protest votes against the party if the ticket is given to Obende. According to the leader of the group, Blessing Agbomere, “we are no longer only saying Domingo (incumbent senator) cannot go, we are saying Oshiomhole cannot support him. We have had enough of people blackmailing Oshiomhole to do whatever they want. If APC gives Domingo any ticket, we will give protest votes to the other party.
“Right now, we believe we don’t have a senator representing us till the next election.”
The governor has since assured all party members of free, fair and transparent primaries.
The major contenders for the PDP senatorial ticket are Momoh, Ugbomeh and Lamai. It was gathered that the party hierarchy had made up its mind to give the ticket to Ugbomeh, two-time member of Edo State House of Assembly, for staying with the party since 1998.
A PDP chieftain told TheNiche in confidence that the party will consider loyalty when it is time for party primaries. Momoh, a member of the House of Representatives, recently defected from APC to the party. Lamai is just a businessman and not known to the people at the grassroots.
In Edo North today, there are indications that it will be Ugbomeh against whoever gets the APC ticket for the senatorial battle come 2015.
