Obaseki, Shaibu In Battle For Edo State House Of Assembly

If we must state the facts, the recent presidential election threw a lot of surprises at the leading parties, as the proverbial third force rose out in the form of the LP, represented by Peter Obi and backed by the Obidient movement.

It was a Tsunami in so many places especially where PDP has their strongholds thereby eroding the party of so many political offices as well as denying the party substantially the 2023 presidential election.

Yet in Edo State, a comical situation is currently unfolding that could end the political careers of the state's governor, Godwin Obaseki, and his deputy, Philip Shaibu. In actuality, the Obidient movement swept through Edo State with an intensity that defies description.

They shook the state to its core, but a stroke of luck occurred with the APC when Adams Oshiomhole happened to be on the ballot paper vying for the Edo North Senate seat, and that one act became the light at the end of the tunnel.

A cursory examination of the results from Edo State reveals that Oshiomhole's participation was a game changer, preventing the LP from washing the APC away and, strangely, allowing the APC to enjoy its best-ever victory in the State while losing the presidential elections.

Obi, a third-party candidate, received 331,163 votes, while his closest challenger in the state, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), received 144,471 votes.

On the other hand, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, received 89,585 votes, while the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, received 2,743 votes.

Of the 144,471 votes gathered by Tinubu, Oshiomhole's Edo North pulled over 100,000 votes for the APC presidential candidate.

Not done, the APC won more Senate and House of Representatives seats for the first time, leaving the PDP with none. One House of Representatives seat was deemed inconclusive, although the LP produced two Rep members.

Oshiomhole was crucial in bringing the Legacy PDP and APC in the State to an accord.

The LP performed well in Edo South, but there may be blowback given the recent revelation that Obaseki is the sole sponsor of all LP candidates in Edo State.

Obaseki was using the Party as a backup plan in case he lost his legal battle with the Legacy PDP, which is represented by Chief Dan Orbih.

Now that they are aware that the LP candidates are all the governor's lackeys and would join the PDP as soon as they are sworn in, Edo residents may reject them.

How it all started.

On taking office as Edo State Governor, Obaseki and his Deputy Philip Shaibu attempted to hijack the APC structure in the state and pull the strings off Adams Oshiomhole, the party's leader and the National Chairman of the APC; they were tools in the hands of the cabal in removing Adams Oshiomhole because of his perceived closeness with Tinubu, whom they never wanted to win the APC ticket.

Even with Oshiomhole out of the picture, the APC nevertheless managed to disqualify Obaseki from running for governor on their party ticket.

Obaseki defected to the PDP and soon became the landlord, frustrating the legacy PDP and making them homeless, a tendency that has earned Obaseki the moniker of a serial BETRAYAL.

Obaseki received public humiliation when he was unable to win his polling unit in the election on Saturday. For a variety of reasons, the state governor is in full panic mode.

His deputy, Philip Shaibu, who was practically nurtured by Adams Oshiomhole, appears to be the hardest hit, as his people rejected him like a plague of sickness, refusing to be associated with him even from a distance.

A sitting Deputy Governor who is unable to win his unit spells disaster; for someone aspiring to be Governor next year, it is a huge embarrassment that, if not handled properly, can lead to depression.

Both Obaseki and Shaibu's sins are as long as the Nile and also bothers on taking the electorates for a ride.

For example, the state lacks infrastructure, development, bad roads, schools with no teachers, accusations of taking people's land and selling it to foreigners, a lack of transparency, and a slew of other ills.

They have lost the faith of the state's political structure as well as its electorates. Their case is one that no one can wish on his enemies, regardless of the damage they have done to them.

Because Philip Shaibu LP is unpopular in Edo North, it is unavoidable that he will not have a single House of Assembly member from Edo North sympathetic to his cause. The PDP has been cremated in Edo North and is no longer in existence as far as March 11th elections are concerned.

Edo Central's collaboration with APC and PDP would undoubtedly swing the day to APC, leaving Edo South undecided, but with the revelation that Obaseki is behind all the LP candidates, citizens may not fall for the trap.

In front of cameras and on national broadcasts, market women have been seen repeatedly singing songs with his name and labeling him a GOAT.

It is clear that with Tinubu as President, he cannot avoid constituting an assembly, just as he has denied 14 members inauguration for more than three years, which is similar to tyrannical moves noted with such personalities as Hitler and Stalin.

Adams Oshiomhole, on the other hand, is an example of someone who sought an elective position to demonstrate to the world that he was well-liked and not yet retired. His participation into the Senate race was later proved to be the deciding factor in Tinubu's victory in Edo North.

These are exciting times, but on March 11th, we will finally know who the landlords and tenants of Osadebe Avenue are.