How Bini Interest Is Shaping Edo Guber Contest

Ethnic considerations are swallowing political permutations and affiliations ahead of the 2020 governorship election in Edo State in the two major political parties in the state.

At the centre of the development is the determination of the dominant Bini speaking majority to assert a Bini agenda ahead of the election.

Senator Matthew Urhoghide, the highest elected political office holder from the Bini stock in an interview espoused the blueprint saying he would protect the office for the Bini irrespective of political parties.

Shockingly, Urghoghide who belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and had in the past contested for the governorship said he would not be blinded by party loyalty in the 2020 governorship race.

He said his party would have to shop for a candidate with a superior performance in previous public office to give him reason not to support Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Urghoghide’s assertions come against the background of the endorsement of another PDP big wig, Senator Daisy Danjuma.

 “You will see that even though we are the clear majority but it is either Oshiomhole or Anenih when he was alive that determined the politics of the state for us,” one source said.

A major chieftain of the PDP in the state speaking on the development said the assertions by Danjuma and Urhoghide are part of a Bini political renaissance to take back the initiative from the Esan and Etsako ethnic groups who had in the past determined the politics for them.

 “Now it is the two Etsako men that are determining the politics of the state for us and that is why you saw Danjuma speak like that,” the political bigwig who himself has legs in the two parties said.

He spoke in reference to Oshiomhole and Chief Dan Orbih the powerful chairman of the PDP in Edo State who has taken the initiative in driving the PDP following the death of Chief Anenih.

“Orbih wants to determine who will be governor of Edo State on PDP and Oshiomhole wants to determine who will be governor in APC, why should we allow this?” the Bini political chieftain said.

Orbih had been quick to rebut Danjuma and also Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State who also last week endorsed Obaseki for a second term.

Sources revealed that Governor Umahi and his associates were so stung by Orbih’s rebuke that associates of the Ebonyi governor had been reaching out to him for appeasement.

Meanwhile, apparently giving a confirmation to the Bini agenda and his determination not to be blinded by party affiliation in the coming election, Senator Urhoghide said:

“I have known Godwin Obaseki right from when he was in Primary One and I was in Primary Two in St. Matthew Primary School, Sakponba Road. When I left Primary School in 1967 to Eghosa Grammar School 1968, Godwin left in 1968 and came to Eghosa in 1969.

“He was in Class One and I was in Class two. I finished 1972 and Godwin Obaseki finished 1973. I went to do A Levels, then I went to Idia College to teach for one year. As I was leaving Idia College, Godwin Obaseki came to teach in Idia College in 1975.

“Every Urhoghide child has a corresponding pair in Obaseki’s family, so there is a family relationship which I have not always failed to mention. Politics cannot make me say that I don’t know Godwin, it is not possible.”

Speaking on the conflict between Obaseki and Oshiomhole, he said:

“What is the issue between them is not because of misgovernance, it is that personality clash between them.

“As we are talking now, the educational system that Godwin is set to enunciate I have not seen anyone who can criticize it, not even in PDP. Look at the technology that he is bringing to bear that is going to change our people.

“I am yet to be told who has done better than Godwin. All the roads off  Airport road Godwin’s picture is in all of them showing roads he did. So I want to be convinced on who would do better, that the roads are of a lower quality to what anyone has done.”

“Comrade and I were in the same party and we started this whole struggle together before I left and why I left was this issue of tyranny, these undemocratic tendencies and that is why I left. You want to impose somebody on somebody and that is the problem.

“And this hypocrisy runs …godfatherism, godfatherism and you are worse off! What is the fight in Edo State is it not about godfatherism? It is me that must decide. So what is good for the goose is good for the gander,” Urhoghide said as he disavowed any interest in the governorship with Obaseki’s record unblemished.

Asked if he was projecting Obaseki ahead of his party’s candidate, Urhoghide said:

“I am to be convinced that the alternative that my party has is better. Until when I see who my party is going to throw up then I will decide. I am not led by the nose. If my party throws up somebody and I know Godwin has a better capacity. I will not give blind support and that is why my party must fight to ensure that they get the best.

“We are going to present their programmes, this is what they have done. Everyone that is going into the race must have done something or the other. What you have done let us see.

Asserting his proclivity to his Bini tribe, he said:
“I represent Edo South, I am the highest elected Edo man and the seven local governments I represent are all Bini speaking. Now representing Bini interest means that I cannot compromise that interest for any other tribe, that is the truth. I will back my Bini man.

“I will support a Bini man to be governor, nothing can stop that. I will support a Bini man irrespective of party because I am elected a senator for PDP and APC. Unless the Bini say go and support Ishan, go and support Akoko Edo, support Owan and the Bini will not say that.”

“If I am governor I am not going to prefer Ondo, I am not going to prefer Delta, it is not possible! I am saying these based on my conviction, I am following my heart, God knows my heart.

“If the fight in APC were because of misgovernance that the governor is not doing well, but the fight is about supremacy, who is the leader who is not the leader. Is that my business? And you are coming to impose it on the people? The leaders should know where to draw the line so that their selfish interest does not override the collective interest of the people.

“As for my relationship with Godwin, I cannot shy away from it at all. I cannot at all! He is my brother, he is my friend a man I have known for more than 50 years, the same church and I come and throw all that away because of politics? That is not tenable at all.”

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