(Series 1: Of the Labour Party, LP)
IN 2024, Edo State will witness yet another governorship election where the citizens through the electorates will choose who will govern them for the next 4 years or beyond as the twilight of the Governor Godwin Obaseki’s 8 years reign comes to an expected end.
Three major parties with uncertain numbers of aspirants are targeting the vacuum that will need to be filled. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the All Progressives Congress, APC and then the Labour Party, LP, are all going to present candidates for the election proper which will come up on Saturday, 21st, 2024. For the sake of this particular first series, we shall be looking at the LP, its aspirants and how they stand.
During the presidential election earlier this year where Mr. Peter Obi was on the ballot box, the LP won in Edo State. This was as a result of different factors. Chief among them was that the voters, which constituted a large number of the disenchanted urban youth, saw Peter Obi as the illumination of a new order. However, their hope were dashed after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, announced Obi as the second runner up. The disenchanted youth lost hope in the electoral process as issues of rigging and favouritism by the electoral umpire was daily drummed into their heads through manipulated untruth.
The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, PEPT, nor the Supreme Court did not help their claims as nothing tangible was presented in both courts to support their tales of outright rigging. This dampled the spirit of the youth that voted enmass in Edo State and beyond. And from assessment, the idea has disenfranchized the youth. They no longer want to vote because they have been told their votes do not count, an inconsistency that has self-inflict the party in elections since then.
In spite of this, several aspirants still feel they can cash on this populist party to win the election. About 28 persons have shown interests in vying under the party. But the major contenders are Ken Imasuagbon Esq., Olumide Akpata Esq., Dorry Okogie Esq. and Mr. Serguis Ogun.
Kenneth Imasuagbon, who has aspired most (four times), under different political parties just not too long ago decamped to LP. He caused an awe last week when he told party faithful not to give the ticket to political newcommers while on a visit to Igarra in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area. The chance of him winning the ticket is as slim as the chance of a crowing cock missing stew for Christmas. He said people should not compare him to a former Nigeria Bar Association, Olumide Akpata, or Dorry Okogie, both of whom, he described as ‘newbies in politics,” adding, “don’t make a mistake of giving your vote to unpopular candidates. We need a popular candidate that can take on the PDP and APC.” Apart coming from Edo Central Senatorial District, and being able to spend dollars during party primaries, not much will work for him to secure the party ticket.
- Kenneth Imasuagbon
Mr. Dorry Okogie has the backing of some of the youth within the party, but how they will fair under the party that has been taken over by moneybags against the old mantra of ‘we nor dey give shi shi,” is yet to be seen.
- Dorry Okogie
Mr. Sergius Ogun was still in PDP when he openly supported the aspiration of Mr Peter Obi. The two-term House of Representatives member under PDP from Edo Central Senatorial District formally joined the LP about a forthnight ago. His chances are the highest as sources revealed that he would be rewarded through the influence of Mr Peter Obi and the Obidient Movement, coupled with the fact that he’s from Edo Central. He’s obviously the Labour Party’s underdog.
- Sergius Ogun
Sergius Ogun has an unblemished record as one of the most reliable politicians in the state whose words are bond, as well as his populist bills in the National Assembly that sought to prohibit education and health tourism for public office holders. After two terms in the Green Chambers, Sergius Ogun withdrew from contesting for a third term to honour the rotation agreement of his people, even when majority of his constituent electorates are in support of his reelection.
Olumide Akpata, the immediate past president of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA is also strong in the race. Although he might be called a neophyte by Ken Imasuagbon, he has shown to the party members what money can do above experience. It was alleged he recently gave all the councillorship candidates of LP five hundred thousand Naira each in the state while one million five hundred thousand was given to each chairmanship candidate after their attempts to contest the election were summarily botched. Also in his visit to each of the 18 local government areas, he made cash donations of five million Naira each to the party as well as takeaway foods and drinks. Recently, he added to his gifts to the party by donating 20 Sienna buses even when some party members described the gesture as ‘Greek gift.’
- Olumide Akpata
Although his chances are the highest among the numerous contenders, he is however being seen as an outsider to Edo State and its complex politics. To evade this tag, it was said the Warri/Lagos boy had to add Osiagbovo to his Olumide Akpata name. He is also being seen within and outside his party as an alternative candidate for the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki who is allegedly bankrolling his campaign.
Sources revealed that Governor Obaseki, through the office of the Chief of Staff, Mr Osaigbovo Iyoha, has been rolling in billions of Naira into Olumide’s campaign as his Plan B candidate. They hinted that all Olumide Akpata’s campaign materials are being printed by Governor Obaseki’s outfit that has been in charge of printing Alaghodao materials over the last seven years.
Governor Obaseki is notorious for planting candidates into the Labour Party like the case of the last House of Assembly election as a stop gap for his deficiency to operate comfortably within formal structure. Olumide has however come out to openly debunk the widespread rumour. Besides, Olumide has an uphill task of convincing the Labour Party leadership and Edo Electorates that power must remain in Edo South since over 90 percent are against power retention in the south.
The LP will only do well in Edo South Senatorial District if there is any wand to awaken the interest of the party members in the district. Another issue that will work against the LP is the issue of zoning. So many citizens from the 3 senatorial zones are in favour of zoning. They think it is against the spirit of justice, fairplay and equity for Obaseki from Edo South to be leaving after 8 years in power and being replaced by another individual from the same district. The people from the other two districts are afraid of political dominance if governance is not rotated
About The Author
