December 24, (THEWILL) – Ahead of the Edo State Governorship Election slated for next year, the Esan Okpa Initiative (EOI), the Esan pan socio-cultural and non-partisan group, has strongly restated the need for all political parties to pick their candidates from Edo Central Senatorial Zone, in order to correct the prevailing political imbalance in the State to guarantee justice, equity, fairness and peace to all segments of the State.
Arguing that it will be a “grave mistake to do otherwise”, the group in a statement in Benin City, signed by its President, Rt. Hon. Mathew Egbadon, and Public Relations Officer, Mr Tony Iyare, canvassed for realism anchored on history and mutual respect to the different sections of the state, in casting lot for the next governor of Edo State that will succeed Mr Godwin Obaseki, whose term expires on November 12, 2024. The group also stressed the need for the parties, political elites and opinion moulders in the state to appreciate this salient concern by Esan people and be mindful that the State was founded on a tripod of brotherhood at its creation in 1991.
“We cannot afford to carry on with the discordant tones now coming from the two other senatorial districts on the subject of a governor of Esan extraction, as if a vital part of the tripod does not matter. The political well -being and inclusiveness of all sections of our dear state should be uppermost in our consideration. We can’t shy away from this vital reality. The fact that Edo people have always ensured that the Governor, Deputy Governor and Speaker respectively, come from different zones underpins our resolve and desire on this matter, as a people tied by common history, to guarantee amity and political inclusion of the three zones,” the group contends, stressing that Edo Central(Esan) people have been left in the political wilderness by successive governments at both the State and Federal levels since 2015’’
Restating its strong appeal to political elites from Edo North and South Senatorial Zones to concede the governorship ticket to aspirants from Edo Central Senatorial Zone, it maintains that this is a recipe to ensuring peace, equity, justice and even development to all sections of the state.
Alluding to the popular view that the parties should anchor the emergence of their candidates only on the basis of competence and ability to elicit support of the three senatorial zones, Esan Okpa contends that no section of Edo State is in short supply of competent persons who are ably imbued with the right acumen and capacity to get the support of other areas for the governorship seat.
Continuing further, Esan Okpa wants some of the political leaders to move away from their high horses and their equivocations, and approach the political future of Edo State from the prism of brotherhood anchored on justice, equity, fairness and mutual discussion with other sections.
Since the creation of the state 32 years ago, it is only one Governor of Esan extraction, Prof Oserheimen Osunbor, who was in the saddle for just 18 months, while Edo South Senatorial Zone would have had a combined reign of 17 and a half years between Governors John Oyegun, Lucky Igbinedion and Godwin Obaseki, who will be rounding up his two term tenure by next year. Edo North Senatorial Zone through the reign of Governor Adams Oshiomhole was also in the saddle for 8 years. They have also produced the Deputy Governor in turn, during this period.
Arguing that political leaders in Edo State cannot now wear blinkers and play Janus in this matter, Esan Okpa reasons: “At national politics, we are loud in supporting zoning as a way of guaranteeing justice, equity and fairness to all sections of the country and then recoil to opportunistically discard this at home. Enough of this equivocations.”
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