MEET SOME OF THE ACN GOVERNORSHIP ASPIRANTS FOR 2016 IN EDO STATE.

 Review By Ojealaro Friday

(1) CHIEF OBASEKI, HEAD OF THE GOVERNOR'S ECONNOMIC TEAM: HE IS BEING FLAUNTED BY HIS BOSS,ALINKO DANGOTE FOR OSHIOMHOLE'S ENDORSEMENT. HE BROUGHT OVER HALF OF THE MONEY USED TO REELECT OSHIOMHOLE FROM DANGOTE. BESIDES, DANGOTE IS PLANNING TO INVEST IN EDO STATE AND THEREFORE WANTS A MAN THAT WILL PROTECT HIS INVESTMENTS. OSHIOMHOLE IS GRADUALLY GIVING IN TO THE IDEA OF OBASEKI'S CANDIDATURE BUT NOT YET SURE WHETHER HE CAN CONTROL HIM AFTER HIMSELF LEAVES GOVERNMENT.

(2) OSARODION OGIE: HE IS THE MOST RECURRING NAME ON THE LIST OF STOOGES OSHIOMHOLE WANTS AS SUCCESSOR. EDO IN SAFE HANDS IS THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE BEING NOURISHED BY OSHIOMHOLE TO PAIR HIM WITH PHILLIP SHUAIBU AS HIS DEPUTY. HE NOT ONLY SHARES THE SAME CONDESCENDING AND WILL-LESS NATURE AS SPEAKER OF EDHA-IGBE ( A PAWN OF OSHIOMHOLE BEING OPERATED BY SHUAIBU) BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING HE CANNOT EVEN CONSTITUTE A WORKING MATRIMONIAL HOME LET ALONE GOVERNING A STATE AS VOLATILE AS EDO.

(3) PIUS ODUBU- THE CURRENT DEPUTY GOVERNOR IS A MAN WHO HAS BEEN VERY LUCKY SO FAR. HE IS A POLITICAL SCAVENGER WHO HARDLY CONTRIBUTES ANYTHING TO ELECTORAL VICTORY BUT USUALLY EMERGES AS A BIG BENEFICIARY. WE ARE TOLD HE IS A CHIEF PRIEST OF A POTENT SHRINE IN ORHIOMWON. MAYBE HE HAS BEEN ENJOYING THAT POTENCY. THE MAN IS A PERENIAL UNDER ACHIEVER THAT IT IS NOW OBVIOUS CAN NOLONGER WIN A COUNCILLORSHIP ELECTION UNLESS HE USES HIS VEHICLE TO CONVEY ELECTORAL MATERIAL. HE IS ACTUALLY ON HIS OWN IN THIS RACE. NO BACKER,NO STRUCTURE.

(4) PASTOR OSAGIE IZE IYAMU: HE IS THE FORMER SSG AND COS TO LUCKY IGBINEDION. HE IS TOUTED IN MANY QUARTERS AS A POLITICAL STRATEGIST SECOND ONLY TO CHIEF ANENIH IN EDO STATE. HE IS THE MAN FRIDAY IN LUCKY IGBINEDION'S GOVERNMENT AND IN FACT FOUNDED THE FORMIDABLE GRACE GROUP THAT USHERED IN OSHIOMHOLE'S GOVERNMENT. HE IS HIGHLY INDEPENDENTLY WILLED AND STILL CONTROLLS THE OLD BRIGADE OF THE ORIGINAL ACN. HIS POLITICAL CREDENTIALS CONTINUES TO INTIMIDATE OSHIOMHOLE AND HIS NEOPHYTE AND LARGELY INEXPERIENCED GRACE GROUP WHO SEES HIM AS THE MOST QUALIFIED TO BE GOVERNOR BUT THE MOST DANGEROUS TO MAKE SO. HE IS A MAN THEY CANNOT CONTROL IF LEFT BEHIND AS THE GOVERNOR UPON OSHIOMHOLE'S EXIT. ONE THING GOING FOR IZE IYAMU IN THIS WHOLE BUILD UP IS THAT THE OTHERS RELY HEAVILY ON BACKERS TO MAKE THEM GOVERNOR. THEIR AMBITION IS VULNERABLE TO ELEVENTH HOUR COMPROMISE IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. THE DWIDDLING POLITICAL POPULARITY OF THE GOVERNOR IN THE STATE ALSO APPEARS TO BE IZE IYAMU'S GAINS.