Bishop Joseph Ighalo Edoro is an Edo State-born cleric and public affairs commentator. In this interview with EJIKEME OMENAZU, Dr Edoro speaks on the September 21 Edo State governorship election and the campaigns, even as he tasks the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for free and fair elections. Excerpt:
Few days to the Edo State governorship election will hold on September 21, how do you see the campaigns so far?
In view of the campaigns of the political parties, especially the most three visible ones, The PDP, APC and Labour Party, I will score the campaigns 50 percent, bearing in mind the exigencies and contingencies that prevail today in Nigeria. in the past when there was economic equilibrium, campaigns used to be very robust. But, it is no longer so. Manageably, they have fared well. The PDP, however, started far ahead. How have they fared? Campaigns where some of the parties have not been able to defend their campaign manifestos! The Labour Party did not start on time due to internal wrangling. Campaigns have not been issue-based. The PDP has been able to tell the people of Edo what they have in mind. But the APC has not been able to do so, though it is in control of the federal government. APC at the federal level has not done projects in Edo State. So, the APC candidate has nothing to campaign with. So, its campaign is not robust. Even during Oshiomhole’s tenure as the state governor, APC did not do anything. Because the PDP is a sitting government, they have certain things to hold on to. The Labour Party is a new party. So, they only have their manifesto to hold on to. All these are affecting the campaigns.
There have been reports of mudslinging and hate speeches, giving rise to fears of imminent violence during the election in Edo State. What is your take on this development and your advice to the people of the state?
It is a sad development to see that they have reduced their respect for each other and have engaged in hate speeches. Special mention must be made as regards to Adams Oshiomhole, giving rise to tension and fear of violence before, during and after the election. Oshiomhole has arrogated to himself as a candidate of the APC. This is not as it is supposed to be. Oshiomhole has not allowed the APC candidate, Monday Okpebholo to express himself. Both the PDP and APC candidates are Esan. Oshiomhole is also from that area. His late wife was an Esan, so, they should see themselves as brothers who mean well for the Edo State for the betterment of the people. Esanland has been in a doldrums. Both federal and state governments have not been fair to Esanland. Esanland has been adrift, fragmented and cut off from development, both by the federal and state governments. Now that it is a collective decision that the next governor will come from Esanland, why should there be bitterness? Asuen Ighodalo the candidate of PDP and Monday Monday Okpebholo are Esans, why should there be loggerheads between them? I also expect the PDP to ensure that they do not engage in verbal attacks. Though Governor Obaseki’s wife, Betsy, was not directly referring to the APC candidate in her recent statement, Oshiomhole’s response was more emotional. Deviations will occur when here is a response. The APC saw Betsy’s comment as directly targeted at its candidate. Oshiomhole should have allowed Monday Okpebholo to respond by himself. Both parties were wrong, though the APC’s response through Oshiomhole was worse. Between now and the election, the parties and the candidates should expunge from among themselves hate speeches, no matter how infinitesimal. Edo people should rise above mudslinging and hate speeches. Esan people are very civilised, well read and highly travelled. Esan people are the most travelled in Africa. We therefore expect something better from the candidates.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole has been the one speaking during the APC rallies rather than the candidate, Monday Okpebholo. What does this portend for the party?
The fact that Oshomhole has been speaking, rather than the APC candidate, Okpebholo, calls to question the authenticity and capability of Okpebholo. Edo as a state is a very enlightened state even in the context of a layman. The level of political and social enlightenment is very high. The state is not easy to govern by people who are not astute, intellectually in mind. Right from the time of Samuel Ogbemudia, Godwin Agbazika Inih, Prof Ambrose Alli, Prof Osunbor, great technocrat like John Odigie-Oyegun, even Locky Igbinedion and now Godwin Obaseki, a great economist, Edo State has been under the control of people who are vast in learning and leadership. We have three lofty candidates in PDP, APC and LP. Ighodalo is an astute economist of great standing with a veritable curriculum vitae. We also have Monday Okpebholo, a grassroots politician, who understands the nitty gritty of politics and the needs of the people. We also have Akpata, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), a seasoned legal luminary and one-time National President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). When I look at the calibre of these people, I am proud to say that I am from Edo State. However, I am a little perturbed that a particular party will not allow its candidate the freedom of expression on his ideals and ideas on how to govern the state. This, to me, is a misnomer. It does not make sense. I understand that Arise TV has called for an interview. Debates have been turned down, while the other candidates have been expressing themselves. In Edo State, our lingua franca is pidgin English. Other candidates have been speaking pidgin at rallies. Let APC allow Okpebholo to express himself. Ogbemudia did not have a doctorate degree when he governed the state. Although people claim that the APC candidate does not have a good academic background, they should allow him to express himself, even in pidgin which is our lingua franca.
The PDP, APC and LP candidates seem to be the front liners in the campaigns. Where do you think the pendulum will swing to at the end of the election? Don’t you give the other parties in the election a chance to win?
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I think all the parties have a chance. In an election, any party has a chance. No party has a chance. No party claims to have superiority over the others until after the results of the election have been announced. It depends on the people’s perception of the ideals, manifestos of the candidates and their uniqueness. All these culminate in electoral victories. Two dogs may fight for a bone and a third one standing by picks the bone and walks away. Every party in the election is a potential winner.
The APC is being touted as going to use the federal might against its opponents in the Edo election. How do you see this allegation?
It is an allegation. An allegation is not supposedly a fact. I have heard this allegation several times. And it did not work. Former President Muhammadu Buhari at a time told everyone that he would not interfere in the election. Jonathan had the power to interfere. But, he allowed Buhari to emerge victorious. I am being modest to say that President Tinubu and the Federal Government will not interfere in the Edo election. Tinubu is a democrat. He has the right to support his party’s candidate. But, he will not go out of his way to interfere with the election to make APC candidate win.
It is true that there is federal might. But, if people come out and vote for their candidates, then how then will the federal might come in when someone has overwhelmingly won? Where was the federal might when Fintiri won in Adamawa? Tinubu is a democrat. He will allow the election to be free and fir, without interference
What is your advice to INEC and security agencies bearing in mind rumours that the State Police Commissioner and the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) might have been compromised?
I don’t believe in the rumours that the Edo Police Commissioner and the REC (INEC) have been compromised. You can have people from a village on a national assignment and they still deliver. If the parties have done their homework, let everyone go out and vote. Let people be civil. The social and the mainstream media are there for everyone. Let the people go out and vote. I have heard of Nyesom Wike’s connections. Wike cannot come to Edo and vote. As far as we know, Wike, though working in an APC Federal Government as a minister, is still a PDP member. Let people go and vote without rancor and violence. Whoever emerges the winner will be announced and Esanland will be better for it. After all, Akpata of the Labour Party also has an Esan as his running mate. The Edo election is indeed an Esan agenda.
What is your advice to the people of Edo State generally as they prepare for this coming election?
The Edo people should eschew violence. Let them eschew hate speeches. Let them come out and vote. Let them see the election as fun. Let them love one another. An election, like sports, is a competition. After the election, when the result has been announced, let them hug each other. However, let every household in Edo State make out time to pray for the election and everything will end well.
