#ROADTOEDO2016 - As Governor Adams Aliu Oshiomhole Winds Up And The Men Jostling To Take Over Osadebey Avenue: Being An Objective Outlook On The Quality Of A 13-Man-League For Edo State's 2016 Gubernatorial Election

Edo is warming up to elect a new Governor in 2016; by the time you would be reading this paper this time next year, if it is still in the airwaves, our charismatic Comrade Governor would have been a 9-day-old immediate past Governor of Edo State. The two major political parties (APC/PDP) in the saddle are no greenhorns in Nigeria's political maneuverings in general and Edo's political maneuverings in particular, hence there is a parallel ground to win or lose; but if we must understand the concept(s) of democratic politics, a discerning and intelligent mind Knows that whichever way the pendulum swings, the people are the greatest losers and/or the people are the greatest beneficiaries. If government exists primarily to provide for the popular and ever-increasing demands of the people, then it is right to judge that any government that does the opposite is a product of a cataclismic failure.

As a UNIBEN-trained educationist, a writer and public affairs analyst in training and a socio-cultural disciple, I am obliged to passing the most refined, modern and useful knowledge to my students in my specialty; and work submissively with my trainer(s) to gain the most profound understanding in my lettering and analysis pursuit, and continue to project the sacrosanct socio-traditional elements of my community.

Even in tough times, when my back aches, I must respect and carry out my superior's instructions irrespective of the mode of passage; afterall, life is never a bird of roses. My utmost goal is the prize, I must ignore the yellings, smackings, weepings that follows in the course of learning. These should serve as natural source(s) of strength, inspiration and resolve to me.

The place of Edo in Nigeria's political arena and the 2016 arrangement is not one that should be sacrificed on the altar of a lackadaisical personality; however, it is not in doubt that the parties and their men jostling to manage our resources 2016 and beyond; possess unique moral, academic and managerial credentials to paddle the ship of Edo's economic base to greater height. But at the end of the day, one good man must emerge; who this man is cannot now be said as we are not ordained prophets; yet promoters and propagandists, depending on which side of the divide we have found ourselves, continue to promote and propagate the technical, managerial and unequalled political values and ingenuity of their principals or preferred candidates.

Edo is blest with brains critical enough to set our land on the path of industrial growth and sustainable development, gainful youth employment and viable economic powerhouse with the sole capability to place our dear State amongst the comity of most-sort-after Nigerian States in terms of local and foreign investment, state development economic peogrammes etc.

Political instability, unrealistic economic policies, dearth of strong political will, ignorance of the realities of government's responsibilities to the people by state actors, limited political and democratic orientation, inability to drive developmental policies and programmes amongst others remain major challenges militating against our very development. We must reverse the narrative; and build a solid foundation for Edo's visible and admirable development.

The qualities that is required of a successive Edo Governor is not hinged on his past office as a former Secretary to the State Government or a pastor with a 5-star mega church, neither should it revolve around him as a former Minister of State for Works, a retired Nigerian Army General and a former gubernatorial candidate who with the instrumentalities of his then political party PDP almost flawed the ruling party ACN now APC; the qualities required of a successive Edo Governor is not one who is a major distributor of rice to Edo people annually, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria who was one time Governor but sacked by the powers of the court, a current Commissioner for Works who is known to be a quiet strategist, the head of the State's economic team; one cannot be fully confident of his ability to drive Edo simply because he has been a loyal Deputy Governor to his boss and Edo people. These are not the qualities required of the best man for Edo Governor job.

His emergence must not be based on his pedegree as a former 2-time Senator of the Federal Republic representing Edo South Senatorial District; a jinx he alone has broken, neither should it be harped on his perceived meekness and introvertibility, nor should it be circled around his past positions as a former Majority Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly and Commissioner for the NDDC where of course he used his good offices to emancipate a chunk of Edo people especially the youths and also carried out a number of developmental projects within and outside his community; it should not based on his ability to produce and direct breathtaking African movies after all Edo is not a movie theatre, neither should it based on his ability to manage a private business empire; the business of governing Edo State goes beyond privacy and self-service.

Not much is known of some party candidates also indicating interest in the plump job as they are considered not to be very popular amongst the masses, but their interest and determination to serve cannot be outrightly undermined. These are offices and positions that were held in the past, and majority of them came to beneficiaries at a time of great convenience and seeming political compensation and balance of power; hence many may not have understood that service was to the people and not for self-aggrandizement.

Edo Governor job 2016 and beyond IS NOT and MUST NOT be seen as a product of political compensation and/or balance of power; this is a critical time in the life of our State when all hands must be on deck to fix the dwindling fortunes of this State, to drive the economic potentials of this State, and set our communities on the path of glory. EDO2016 is not to be sacrificed on the altar of popularity, the question must be how much democratic and developmental dividends can your popularity attract to Edo Land? Our people are daily victims of biting hardship, with a bleak hope of better employment benefits for our teeming youths, the aged have been completely abandoned in their socio-welfare packages, education amongst our young growing children is no longer priority number one, infrastructural dearth criss-cross the nooks and crannies of the State, industries are at all-time deficient, local and foreign investments are at a less than zero level; the Oshiomhole-led administration is largely credited to have apart from the Ogbemudia-led administration, attracted a level of infrastructural benefits to Edo land, while in some quarters it is been vilified to have short-changed Edo people considering the allocation, IGR and other revenue base it has attracted in the last 7 years; where there is no corresponding developmental projects to match with the over N1Trillion revenue base as largely speculated, one may be forced to ask where, when and how these monies were utilized?

Our situation somehow reminds one of a passage in Shakespeare’s Julius Ceasar; there is a tide in the affairs of men which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; omitted, all the voyage of their life, is bound in shallows and miseries. 2016 presents before us uncommon opportunities to redefine our political, economic and developmental landscape, and put these factors on a proper persepctive, the extent to which we are able to properly harness these materials for our common good depends largely on the stand we take in the forthcoming guber poll; our politics is gradually evolving from business-as-usual to business-unsusal, the people are, and must remain the major stakeholders in every political development.

While the opposition PDP is poised to return to power, the ruling APC banks on their incumbent advantage, troubled popularity amongst the masses and seeming financial firepower to retain rulership. Edo people cannot continue to be at the recieving end of administration's high-end political mismanagement; time to take our destinies in our hands and bring onboard development-minded character(s) who rightly understands the true principles of service and is/are poised to align himself/themselves and his/their working cabinet with the rules of engagement for the benefit of all is now. If Edo people must choose in 2016, we must choose right so as not to take us back to the dogs. Let us look inward, join heads and produce for us a man that is determined to making Edo a better place for citizens, visitors, investors etc.

Here is a brief of the men who have indicated unwavering interest and irreversible resolve to manage our State's resources from 2016 and beyond; it is arranged in no particular order:

Osagie Ize-Iyamu PDP; born 21st June, 1962. A former Secretary to Edo State Government, an ordained Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God RCCG. POI's political sojourn has been somewhat unstable in recent times; disengaging himself from the PDP to APC and back to the PDP. However, he is convinced that for Edo people, #thefutureisnow.

Osarodion Ogie APC; born 24th September, 1960, he is a former Chief of Staff to the Edo State Government, a former Deputy Chairman of the Comrade Governor's Economic Team, and the current Commissioner for Works. He is known to be a quiet but calculative strategist. However, his plump position as Commissioner for Works has not been largely impactful not even in his local community of Ikpoba-Okha.

Charles Airhiavbere (rtd) APC; born 11th October, 1954, a retired Major-General and Commander, Corps of Army Finance and Accounts of the Army Headquarters, a former guber candidate of the PDP, but now a frontline soldier-general, and wealthy guber ticket seeker in APC.

Chris Ogiemwonyi APC; born 21st March, 1951, a former Minister of State for Works, at the Nigeria Federal Ministry of Works, a retired Group Executive Director of NNPC and current President of Energy and Engineering Technology Consulting since 2011. He is not well known in his local community, the grassroot and he is considered too distance from his people, especially the ordinary people.

Pius Odubu APC; born July 1957, a former Member of the Nigerian House of Representatives, current Deputy Governor of Edo State; he is also a member of the Nigerian Bar Association. His time as member HoR and now Deputy Governor put together has not really yielded any tangible result for his Orhionmwon community in particular and Edo land in general. Though he is considered a loyal Deputy.

Oserheimen Osunbor APC; born 5th October, 1951, a former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Edo Central Constituency; a one-time Governor of Edo State under the PDP whose tenure though, was terminated by the powers of the Court in favour of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole

Ken Imasuangbon APC; born 4th May, 1966, a one-time PDP member and consistent ticket seeker. He is a Law graduate of OAU, Ife, a lawyer, politician, businessman, philanthropist and Chairman of Abuja-based Pace Setters Group of Schools.

Solomon Iyobosa Edebiri PDP; born 22nd April, 1962, a former guber candidtate of the defunct ANPP, a certificate holder in General Welding, PTI, National Diploma in Welding and Fabrication, PTI, post-graduate certificate in Business Administration, United Kingdom, and a Masters in Business Administration, European-American University. He wants Edo people to join him to #buildabetterfuture.

Ehigie Uzamere PDP; born 5th May, 1955, a former member of the PDP who dumped the party for APC and back to PDP; a former 2-time Senator representing Edo South Senatorial District. He is determined to leave Edo State in God's hands as he believes #thefuturebelongstoGod.

Godwin Obaseki APC; born in Benin City, Chairman of the Adams Oshiomhole's Economic Team, founder and Vice-Chairman, Afrinvest West Africa Limited.

Don Pedro Obaseki APC; born 25th April 1967, a prolific movie producer and director, with countless appearances on various national and international media; VOA, "Straight Talk Africa" and BBC. In 2004, DPO led the largest delegation of NollyWood to the USA; he has produced and directed more than 15 African movies; he pledge to erect an entertainment village in Edo State and wants Edo people to M.O.V.E. with him.

Osaro Onaiwu PDP; He is a socialite, businessman, a politician, family man and the Director-General, PDP Governors Forum; he strongly believes that he is the solution to Edo's challenges.

Matthew Aigbuhuenze Iduoriyekemwen PDP; born 2nd May, 1966, seen largely as a major force in EDO2016, MAI is a former Majority Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly, a former Commissioner of the NDDC, Edo State, a UNIBEN-trained Scientist, he has vowed to engage a revolutionary approach against Edo's infrastructural decay, and strongly believes that #agreateredoispossible.

Today's politicking goes beyong party affiliation and leanings; it will be gainful for the generality of Edo people to continue to clinically analyse the antecedents of our brothers who are all-out to lead Edo State, we must take a microscopic look and adopt caution as we move en masse to mortgage our dear State for serious developmental business.

The vision of the founding fathers and the restoration of the glory of Edo State must be the major pursuit of anyone in whose direction the pendulum of election favourably swings in 2016. Unforgettably, the power to nominate, elect and inaugurate one of these men as Edo State Governor come November 12, 2016 rests squarely in the hands of God and the good people of Edo land. Ivbiedo n'uzomo, we have a choice to make. The world is watching us and how it will eventually play out, let us choose right for a renewed Edo and a sustainable generational change.

Oba gha t'okpere, isee!

Disclaimer: "The views expressed on this site are those of the contributors or columnists, and do not necessarily reflect TheNigerianVoice’s position. TheNigerianVoice will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements in the contributions or columns here."

Articles by Morgan Eseosa Ewere