OPINION EDO 2020 : STANLEY ODIDI TACKLES PASCAL UGBOMEH FOR SUPREMACY IN EDO NORTH.

By DADA AYOKHAI





The duo of Hon Stanley Odidi and Paschal Ugbomeh have been saddled  with the onerous task of coordinating and driving the campaign programmes of the APC and the PDP Governorship candidates in Edo North.

 Whilst Hon Stanley Odidi, a former Etsako East Council chairman, is saddled with the task of leading Ize Iyamu's campaign in Edo North, Hon Paschal Ugbomeh, a  former lawmaker cum council chairman will drive the  Obaseki/Shaibu campaign, as its arrowhead.

 The voting pattern in Edo North district will be of interest not only to Edo people but also to the politically conscious people across the country.

The reason is quite obvious, the district is the home base of  the former APC national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomole and his estranged political godson and deputy governor of Edo State, Hon Philip Shaibu, .

 Aside the fact that the duo of Hon Odidi and Ugbomeh are household names in Etsako politics, they also share the common denominator of having served as council chairmen of Etsako East and Central respectively.

 Though seen largely as a  tactically minded politician, Hon Odidi, will, however, depend on comrade Adams Oshiomole's well- oiled political machinery in the district to succeed.

Comrade Oshiomhole who  as former Governor of the state won the hearts of Edo North people known as Afenmai  in local parlance through the provisions of basic infrastrure which won for him large followership.

Similarly, Odidi  will also bank on the support and patronage of incumbent members of the National Assembly and State House of Assembly  from the district who are also APC members, to execute his mandate and deliver the much needed votes to ensure Ize Iyamu's victory.

 Among those Hon Odidi would have to rely on to penetrate Etsako, Owan and Akoko Edo respectively, which are the three political axis that make up Edo North, are Hon Johnson Oghuma, Hon Peter Akpatason, and  Prof Julius Ihonvbere.
 Others are  Senator Francis Alimikhena , Hon Abubakar momoh and the Minister of State, Clem Agba , Pally iriase , Rev Peter Obadah, and a host of others.

 On the PDP side, Hon Ugbomeh's tactics will bank on exploiting the huge division in the APC family in Edo North District. In addition, he would also have to take a critical look at two major options flank available to him and how to get a  tie- in that would guarantee easy victory for the PDP in the district. The first of the two flank options is the incumbency factor. The state's deputy governor, Hon Shaibu, is locked in  political supremacy with Comrade Oshiomole. The latter wants to assert his political authority in the district without having to worry about Oshiomole's shadow. Secondly,  Obaseki's second term bid has elicited strong support and patronage from the six council chairmen in the district whose relevance and continued stay in office depend largely on Obaseki/Shaibu victory.

 Besides Hon Ugbomeh's enchanting personality, his oratory and his trademark cowboy dressing (safari and a matching hat), he is expected to cash in on the political assets and support of Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, a two term former deputy governor of the state and Chief of Staff to former President Goodluck Jonathan; Chief Dan Orbih, former chairman of the party in the state and also chairman of the state Campaign Council; High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Kabiru Adjoto, former Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Senator Yisa Braimoh and a host of other prominent Edo North leaders of the party.

The outcome of the election will surely send some of the political actors  into political oblivion at the end of the election come September 19.
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