The umbrella Edo Central socio-cultural organisation, Esan Okpa Initiative (EOI), has lauded the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), for conceding their governorship tickets to aspirants from the division of the state.
While congratulating both candidates of APC and PDP, the group recalled that it had in the past made several appeals to the three core parties in the state to look in the direction of Esan land in the choice of flag-bearers for the forthcoming governorship elections in the spirit of “fairness, equity, justice and inclusiveness.”
It noted that the outcome of the primaries showed clearly that it was only APC and PDP that heeded its call, and warmly expressed its gratitude to the leaders and members of these parties.
In a statement released in Benin City, the Edo State capital, signed by its President, Rt. Hon. Matthew Egbadon, and Public Relations Officer, Mr. Tony Iyare, EOI asserted that what had played out so far in the unfolding politics of Edo State, was a demonstration of the grain embedded in the DNA of Edo people to always support and fight for whatever was just, equitable, and inclusive of the different sections of the state as one family with a common ancestry.
It therefore appealed to the generality of the Edo electorate to take a cue from the outcome of the party primaries, and support the quest for power shift to Edo Central in the September 21 governorship election.
Also asking the victors of the primaries to be magnanimous in victory and embrace the aspirations of all sections of the state as they campaigned for votes, it stressed that nothing must be done by their supporters and foot soldiers to engender needless strife, division and confusion in the state.
Urging restraint on messages, rhetorics, emotional outbursts and chest beating on social media platforms, Esan Okpa equally appealed to the aspirants who lost out to sheathe their swords and unite to work with the candidates of their parties for the betterment of the state.
EOI averred: “What’s paramount, it insisted, is the ability to subsume individual aspirations for the collective development of Edo State.
“At a glance, all those who ran for the primaries of the various parties are qualified noble men and women to aspire to govern Edo State. And we have said severally, that every part of the State have people who are eminently qualified to govern our State. However only one person will emerge as Governor at a time. That person should come from Edo Central come September, 2024.
“This is time for utmost restraint by supporters, well wishers and foot soldiers of the various political tendencies in the State.
“They must ensure that their messages, rhetorics, outbursts of emotions, and chest beating, particularly on social and other media, are not deliberately directed at inflaming passion, causing discord, taunting those who “lost out’ and unnecessarily putting asunder the peace and harmonious relationship of the different sections that make up Edo State.
“We all need to realize that this is a contest among brothers (EDO OKPA MANKHI) who are driven by a noble desire to fast track development in our dear state.’
It would be recalled, that led by Egbadon, a two-time Speaker, of Edo State House of Assembly, Esan Okpa kick started a whistling campaign in 2022 to ensure that the successor to incumbent Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, whose term will expire on November 12 this year, is from the Edo Central Senatorial Zone.
Anchoring this quest on “justice, equity and fairness”, EOI maintained it was the right thing to do to assuage the feelings and ensure inclusiveness of all sections of a state created on a tripod in 1991.
The organization therefore began a more strident campaign in early 2023 by reaching out to key political actors and opinion molders in the North and Southern Senatorial Zones in order to mobilize and unite thoughts on the issue of power shift to Edo Central Senatorial Zone.
Arguing that since the creation of Edo State in 1991, an Esan in the person of Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, had only been Governor for 18 months.
Esan Okpa pointed out that while Edo South, which had Chief John Oyegun, Chief Lucky Igbinedion and the incumbent, Governor Godwin Obaseki respectively, would have been in the saddle cumulatively for over 17 years by November 11 this year, Edo North with Mr. Adams Oshiomhole as Governor, also had eight unbroken years.
The organisation, which has been working behind the scenes on a non-partisan basis, stated that its task would not be complete until a Governor of Esan extraction, irrespective of party affiliation, was elected in September this year.
It therefore called on the Edo political leaders, opinion molders and indeed the electorate, to ensure that this was achieved in the interest of “justice, equity and fairness”.
While appealing to all citizens of the state to help realise this objective, the organisation implored all to ensure this was done in an atmosphere devoid of rancour and discord.
“The bigger picture is the rapid socio-economic development of all parts of Edo State. We need to galvanize the indomitable spirit of our people located in different sections of the state, anchored on hard work, resilience, resourcefulness and brotherhood. We must watch out and not give in to the insidious designs and campaigns of political mischief makers and political hallelujah boys, who are angling to put one section of the State against the other,” Esan Okpa stressed.
