Yesterday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially declared Sen. Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the Edo State governorship election held on Saturday, 21st September 2024. Okpebholo secured 291,667 votes to win his main opponent, Asue Ighodalo of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, who garnered 247,274 votes.
The election won and lost on factors beyond candidates’ popularity or party acceptability holds valuable lessons for politicians. Firstly, the PDP fielded a quality candidate who possessed exceptional intellectual ability, but in Nigeria, you need more than a quality candidate to win the election. Ighodalo didn’t lose due to doubts about his capacity to govern; rather, his defeat stemmed from the numerous transgressions committed by his strongest backer, Governor Godwin Obaseki, against his benefactors, the Edo people, traditional institutions, and the judiciary.
Obaseki, the outgoing governor, forgot that no one, not even the President of the United States of America, the world’s strongest country, holds power absolutely. He discarded the popular saying that people should be humble in power and assumed he attained his position alone, through his sole capacity. He allowed power to get into him so much that he forgot that he’d need people to support his interest to succeed him on Saturday.
His reputation as a serial betrayer, arrogant and lawless power-drunk politician played more against him than the quality of the APC candidate or the acceptability of the party. In his nearly eight years in power, Obaseki fought almost everybody who helped him attain power and political relevance. He fought former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Chief Nysom Wike who rescued him when APC denied him ticket, legacy PDP leaders, and the South-South governors who insisted on zoning in the 2023 Presidential election.
The governor’s contentious relationship with his deputy, Philip Shaibu, is another example of his combative leadership style. Shaibu, who had previously betrayed Oshiomhole, his political leader and brother from Edo North, to support Obaseki in 2020, found himself on the receiving end of Obaseki’s wrath. The governor relocated him from the government house and even instigated the Edo House of Assembly to impeach him for daring to contest against his orders. Despite court judgements reinstating Shaibu, Obaseki refused to recognise him or reinstate his aides. The feud with his deputy significantly diminished his support.
The Governor appeared to view himself as an absolute authority, disregarding democratic and constitutional institutions. For instance, he withheld representation from 14 Edo State constituencies by denying their elected representatives the right to be sworn in. Furthermore, he also desecrated the integrity of the judiciary by delaying the implementation of the National Judicial Council’s recommendations for 11 months, only to swear in five of the eight High Court judges recommended and screened. This authoritarian orientation irked so many people against him and his candidate.
Similarly, the emperor also extended his arrogance to the traditional institution, particularly the revered Oba of Benin, over the contentious issue of artefacts. Challenging the Oba of Benin meant going up against the entire traditional establishment in the state. The Oba holds a sacred position as the custodian of the Edo people’s culture and traditions. Standing up against him over an issue that should have been resolved peacefully alienated a significant segment of the voters against his candidate.
Undoubtedly, APC presented a candidate who was very close to the people, but based on the mood of the country, it would have still been very difficult for the party to win if Ighodalo had successfully separated himself from Obaseki’s baggage.
Besides, this victory should not be seen as an endorsement or referendum on the policies of the APC-led federal government, which has caused widespread hunger, suffering, and hardship among the masses. Were it not for Obaseki, Edo people would have likely transferred their hunger and anger into their thumbs against APC. Therefore, the government must get back to work to find a solution to widespread hardship and suffering in the country, as Obaseki’s self-inflicted downfall may not be replicated in future elections.
Finally, leaders should learn from the Edo situation to manage their fortunes well to avoid the Obaseki experience. His downfall was largely due to his excessive and abusive use of executive powers, leading to conflicts with various stakeholders, including political, traditional, and judicial leaders, as well as the general public. This, rather than the APC or its candidate, ultimately sealed his fate. In Cross River, some people are already exhibiting his traits. If they don’t change, they risk facing similar consequences or even worse in future.
