APC Delta Crisis: Lessons From Edo 2016 Electioneering Votes Sharing

The electioneering battle during Edo State governorship election between the two most popular political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will remain a major political discuss among students of political science, analysts and researchers for a long time to come.

The test of political supremacy was in maximum use by the two parties and their candidates such that it became so glaring that the winning scores placed the winner little higher above the looser. Therefore the best election rigger in the entire world could not have been able to win with a staggering margin.

From the campaign put up by the candidates and their political parties to the vibrant and enthusiastic supporters; what you find is good planning, superb mobilization of the electorates and sleepless nights of hard work geared towards electioneering success.

I predicted long before the outcome of the election results that His Excellency, GODWIN OBASEKI (the governor-elect) of the APC will emerge winner but not with a wide margin and it was so. The crowd during the campaign favoured the APC coupled with massive media coverage. There is no way PDP and its candidate could have defeated their opponents.

The scenario in Edo State points to the fact that whenever a governorship candidate and his party put up a well organised mass mobilization of the people the result would be glaring for all to see. Yes, there could be electoral flaws here and there but the final outcome as in election results will expose the efforts of the parties and their candidates. Therefore it can be safely asserted that Edo 2016 governorship election was keenly contested and the two candidates and their parties deserves commendation.

The Edo scenario is far different in many ways from the 2015 governorship elections in Delta State. There were three candidates. Two of them from national parties of APC and PDP while the third candidate from Labour Party (LP).

By electoral value, the LP candidate is very popular haven itched his name and political pedigree at the grassroots across Delta State. Chief Great Ogboru is a known political actor and he came on board to test his popularity for the fourth time. Olorogun Otega Emerhor of APC had his first shot at the gubernatorial race on the platform of a new national party and therefore needed to work even harder than the LP and PDP candidates.

The major controversy in APC Delta is the fact that despite the claim of the party and its candidate that they did the needful to win, the results of the election proved otherwise. Blame was heaped at the doorsteps of PDP and INEC for the monumental electoral malpractice but at the end, the apex Court decided that the Winner of the election deserved his victory thereby posing more questions as to what the governorship elections handlers of the APC and LP did right and what they failed to do.

One of the grave reasons adduced by the various factions currently agitating for restructuring of APC Delta is that majority of the stakeholders particularly old members of CPC, ACN and ANPP that teamed up to become APC were not given the attention and key roles to play during the 2015 governorship campaign because of the controversy surrounding the emergence of the Prophet Jones Erue State Executive Committee. Another school of thought is of the view that the party and its candidate spent too much funds, time and valuable energies waging media war over Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) endorsement of one of the candidate for the elections. Blame, blame and blame games.

Political observers and a faction of the party in the state are still at a lost why APC could not win one local government during the 2015 elections, a major defect which they say should not be entirely ascribed to election malpractice by PDP and compromised INEC staff. Therefore the present state Exco that could not win one single LGA in 2015 should never be allowed to supervise the 2019 general elections because by the time its tenure expires in 2018, it will be too late to reconcile the various factions, conduct state congress and win the governorship election in 2019. This is the reason why there are calls for fresh state congress.

In the light of the above, it can be safely asserted that the party's performances in 2015 cannot be said to be acceptable to all stakeholders; it is shameful, disgraceful and must never repeat itself in future elections. With this in mind, all hands must be on deck to put up a superlative electioneering performance in 2019.

This is the justification for the enlargement of the state leadership structure and the dissolution of the state Exco to give room for another round of party congress so as to produce an Exco that will be able to tackle headlong 2019 governorship elections battles, using Edo 2016 as a case study.

The lesson learnt in Edo 2016 is instructive and APC Delta must do the needful to excel in 2019. The party's interest which is to clearly win future elections must be seen to be over and above personal or group interests.

The efforts so far made by the Jones Ode Erue Committee is commendable and should be appreciated by all and sundry. In the same token, the 2015 governorship candidate, Olorogun Otega Emerhor remains a reference point in the re-positioning of the party for greater tasks ahead.

Therefore, the ongoing reconciliation efforts must acknowledge Olorogun Emerhor for his pivotal roles in the party, particularly for spending huge financial resources, time and talents in nursing the party in Delta State. He is certainly John the Baptist of Delta APC, pointing the way forward for all to follow. Thank you, Your Excellency.

Finally, it must be stated that Dr Ibe Kachukwu, Chief Great Ogboru, Rt Hon Victor Ochei, Chief PDO Akpeki, Senator Francis Okpozo, Dr (Mrs) Veronica Ugbuagwu, Papa Ideh, Chief Frank Ovie Kokori, Chief Ayiri Emami, Adolor Okotie-Eboh, Engr Hyacinth Enuha and other chieftains of our great party (those not mentioned should please note that it is not deliberate) must no longer be berated under any circumstances because of the diverse strategic roles they are going to play in ensuring that APC remains the party to beat in 2019.

Unity, peace and mutual respect for one another is the only tonic that will guarantee victory for APC Delta in 2019. Let's embrace genuine reconciliation for the overall interest of our great party.