Making Esan agenda fly

Sir: There is every indication that the unguarded spirited moves in certain quarters, to present a common candidate for Edo Central, to succeed the incumbent Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, come to 2024 Governorship Election, will spell doom for the entire Esan agenda.

This is so because the emerging political reality or permutations no longer favour featuring an Esan indigene to queue behind Governor Goodwin Obaseki, from outside his direct influence.

In succeeding to demystify the once potent political influence of the godfathers in Edo State, Governor Goodwin Obaseki has historically set an interesting precedent. This is the fact of the matter: no known political godfathers in Edo State can force any candidate on the people of Edo State, as the unprecedented electoral victory won by Godwin Obaseki had shattered the myth about them.

The way things stand politically, Godwin Obaseki is in a vantage position to anoint whoever will succeed him as governor. Therefore, no matter the number of strategic planning or meetings on the part of those that pushed the Esan agenda before the 2020 Governorship Election, the idea is most likely to hit the rocks; it will definitely not fly if care is not taking.

Let me quickly state that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had almost gone into oblivion politically in Edo State, shortly before the last 2020 Governorship Election, as no one solid political figure was ready to single-handedly bankroll any governorship candidate until the sudden earth-shattering move by Godwin Obaseki to the PDP, which electrified the electoral firmament in the state to the point of no return.

Diagi, is a Benin City-based political analyst/strategist.

Therefore, l am using this opportunity to passionately urge our stakeholders in the Edo Central axis, to guide seriously against provocative and unguarded statements that will irritate or inflame Governor Goodwin Obaseki, to damn whatever consequences, of his eventual going to the opposite direction of the Esan Agenda.

This is saying emphatically and categorically that those at the forefront of the Esan Agenda come 2024, must never impose any candidate on Governor Obaseki, instead they should tactically and courageously play safe by allowing the Governor to pick his choice of Esan candidate.

Those trying to rock the boat by making inflammatory noise must note this saying in Esan dialect which states that:” Omon – Omon”, any contrary opinion will spoil the show for Esan people, come to 2024 Governorship Election.

We must be reminded that Edo North has a very formidable political giant, even within the current Edo State Executive Council, who is not sleeping at all concerning the struggle for who succeeds Governor Goodwin Obaseki in 2024. To dictate to Governor Obaseki as to the choice of Esan candidate in 2024 will no doubt spell doom for the Esan Agenda and the people of Edo Central axis in the state. A word is enough for the wise!
Diagi, is a Benin City-based political analyst/strategist.