Governorship campaigns in era of COVID-19

Fourteen political parties are participating in the September 19 governorship election in Edo State. But, the campaigns may not be as vibrant as in previous polls, in view of the ravaging Coronavirus pandemic, writes Southsouth Bureau Chief BISI OLANIYI

 

FOURTEEN political parties nominated candidates for the September 19 governorship election in Edo State, ahead of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s) deadline. This year’s election will be a re-match between the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) Governor Godwin Obaseki and the All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu; notwithstanding the fact that 14 political parties are taking part in the crucial poll. In 2016, 19 candidates participated in the election.

The APC candidate, who is a former Secretary to the Edo State Government (SSG), launched his manifesto, dubbed SIMPLE agenda, through a live broadcast on his Facebook page on July 13. This marked the commencement of his weekly online engagements, to directly converse with the people on safe platforms. This is in line with the guidelines and regulations of INEC to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

The acronym, SIMPLE, stands for (S) Security and Social Welfare; (I) Infrastructure Development/Urban Renewal; (M) Manpower Development and Training; (P) Public/Private Partnerships; (L) Leadership by example; and (E) Employment and Empowerment. Ize-Iyamu said Edo was the only state in the Southsouth geo-political zone that had not made adequate investment in technology, to combat crime.

He said the Obaseki administration had been receiving over N600 million monthly as security vote but had consistently been giving the Edo Police Command a paltry N5 million monthly. This, he added, was not enough to fuel the command’s patrol vehicles.

The APC flag bearer said the four-cardinal programmes of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) during the Second Republic reshaped his interest in politics and the importance of manifesto for a political party and politicians. His words: “When the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in 1978, formed the UPN, even though I was quite young, I was fascinated by the manifesto of the party, particularly its four-cardinal programmes of free education, free health services, integrated rural development and employment for all.

“UPN’s manifesto was very easy to understand and it was all-encompassing. The manifesto made me to take an interest in the party and I became a member of the youth wing.

“From an early age, I appreciate the role of manifestoes in party formation. To me, it was key in the choice of the party to belong.”

Ize-Iyamu also expressed surprise over the abandoned Benin stormwater project, designed to check flooding in Edo. He said: “The Benin stormwater project cannot be abandoned. I did not initiate it, but we must commend those who planned it. Even four years ago, when I contested (on the PDP platform), I commended the foresight, because flooding is a major challenge in Benin.

“To abandon the project the way it has been abandoned is imprudent and wicked, especially coming from a governor that was part of its conception. The stormwater project must be completed. We will appraise it and do it at a reasonable cost.”

Ize-Iyamu also indicated his commitment to developing agriculture in Edo, saying his vision was to ensure the state would be producing food for the rest of Nigeria, during his first term in office.

On the moribund Bendel Brewery Limited in Benin, he said: “People are making money from breweries. So, why will Edo State not make money from what it has? No matter the problem it has, it can be resolved. We will discuss with all those involved in the Bendel Brewery matter. It is better for the factory to be functional than for it to be closed.”

Ize-Iyamu assured that his party would not run foul of INEC’s regulations on the conduct of campaigns. The chairman of the APC media campaign council, Prince John Mayaki said his party is not oblivious of the extant regulations on the rules of campaigns, within the context of COVID-19.

Obaseki kicked off his re-election campaign recently at the Lawn Tennis Court of Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin, rather than the main bowl of the newly-renovated stadium was to reduce the crowd. The security personnel at the stadium’s entrance ensured that only the accredited politicians and reporters were allowed into the lawn tennis court, after washing their hands, applying hand sanitisers and wearing facemasks.

On getting into the lawn tennis court, the organisers labelled all the seats, thereby ensuring that a seat must be skipped, to observe social distancing, which was also strictly adhered to when the kick-off of the electioneering commenced.

Nevertheless, the event was marred by violence, which involved sporadic gunshots by supporters of leaders of PDP and APC at the entrance to the palace of the Benin monarch, Oba Ewuare II, with no fewer than 10 persons injured.

Obaseki, through his Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, said the thugs were allegedly sponsored by APC. He said: “We are appalled by the deployment of thugs in the sacred grounds of the palace of Oba of Benin by the APC, Ize-Iyamu and Oshiomhole to harass guests who were in Edo State for the kick-off of Governor Obaseki’s campaign and had visited the palace to pay obeisance to the first-class monarch.

“While we respect the boundaries of politics, as it relates to the palace, it is reprehensible that the APC, its candidate and their enablers would sponsor thugs to desecrate the palace, which is a clear case of desperation to score cheap points.”

Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu, who is Obaseki’s running mate said the governor deserves a second term because the administration had curtailed extravagance and overindulgence in government, with a lifestyle that reflects soberness and thoughtfulness.

Shaibu, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Benjamin Atu, noted that re-electing Obaseki on the platform of PDP on September 19 would enable Edo people to continue to enjoy good governance and other dividends of democracy.

He said: “Edo State government’s programmes and projects that are creating wealth and job opportunities, reviving collapsed business enterprises, stimulating agriculture and local food production are other reasons Governor Obaseki is in the re-election race, in order to consolidate on the achievements of his first term.

“Governor Obaseki will continue to deepen the mechanism of good governance and service delivery in Edo State. Youths’ employment and women empowerment are being given attention, while rapid results are also being achieved in the economic sector.

“The infrastructural development being executed by Obaseki’s administration in less than four years in office, far more exceeds what was recorded in the eight years of the previous administration.

“The most vocal critics of the present administration in Edo State are people that were colossal failures during their era in government, who owe Edo people an apology for their mismanagement of the state’s resources.

“Obaseki’s administration has recorded numerous developmental strides. Edo people are also happy with the excellent performance of the state’s governor.”

Edo deputy governor also claimed that Obaseki had kept to his 2016 campaign promises.

The APC has described the kick-off of Obaseki’s re-election as a failure. The party said the event was boycotted by PDP members, who are aggrieved because of the imposition of Obaseki on them. The APC media campaign council said Obaseki’s COVID-19 restriction compliance claim was a cheap excuse to hide the mass boycott of the event by members.

It said: “From the last days at the APC, the government and entourage of Obaseki have been suffering a great thinning. Finally seen for what it is—corrupt, incompetent and clueless—a great number of individuals who supported and served the administration began to pack their energy, leaving the charade of a government. The unfortunate migration from the gloomy gathering came to a crescendo with the resignation of the governor’s Chief of Staff, Chief Taiwo Akerele.

“To this day, despite having cross-carpeted to the PDP, buying up its candidacy with state funds, the same fate has followed Obaseki, revealing that the problem is a personality issue, made worse by the tax-collecting leadership of his new party (PDP).

“The greatest manifestation of this incessant dumping and departure is in the continued abandonment Obaseki’s camp suffers, in a period when activities should gather momentum. His troubling personality has sent him away from where he was initially favoured, sent him right into the heart of where he is not loved, and sent valuable individuals away from his troubled presence.

“From APC to PDP, the trail is the same and the metaphor similar: arrogant loneliness. As the PDP kicked off its campaign, with Obaseki at the centre of it, we come up, again, at the same hapless situation. This time, hiding behind the facade of obeying the COVID-19 protocols. Obaseki does not enjoy the party’s major stakeholders’ support, but for a man with a clear history of disregard for the COVID-19 safety protocols, this new falsehood will not convince.

“What obtained in Benin and its environs on July 25 was a mere gathering of hawks and tax-collectors with no ambition or goodwill of the people, but to, again, scamper and plunder the last ebb of money made available by the desperate Obaseki.”

The Labour Party (LP) candidate, Dr. Isaiah Osifo said his party is committed to good leadership and the collective struggle to halt desperate people who have nothing to offer, other than blind the pursuit of personal aggrandizement. He said it was LP’s responsibility, as a responsible political party with enlightened and mass followers, and with conscientious leadership to partner with Edo people to raise the level of political education.

Osifo made the pledge at a press conference in Benin City, the state capital. He was accompanied by the party’s National Secretary, Abue Julius, a lawyer, and its Edo State Chairman, Kelly Oghalol. He said: “The minimum Edo State people should ask for is to improve on the current level of verifiable developments in Edo State and vote for a candidate who has abundant evidence of political, administrative and academic credentials required for a reasonable and responsible development in Edo State.

“Edo people should resist the attempts of the political leadership without a sense of morality, trying to introduce darkness into the path of the development of Edo State. We are good people. We want to progress and we reject retrogression.”

The standard-bearer of LP also stated that a political party’s leadership with a conscientious leadership would care about the image of the party.

He noted that the conscience of the leader of the political party would dictate the sense of morality, stressing that a leadership that was not interested in morality would be a danger to human society.

Osifo said: “The leadership of APC should worry about the reputation of the political party. The choice of Edo State APC’s governorship candidate in the September 19, 2020 election (Ize-Iyamu) is an operational definition of a political party’s leadership that is not interested in morality.