Uncertainties, economic hardship cloud political campaign in Edo

Over the years, electioneering has always been brought to the corridors of the citizenry by candidates through various campaign strategies adopted by their respective parties. But, today, the question on everyone’s lips, especially Edo residents, is, “nobody is campaigning; are we in carnival or campaign mood?”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in line with the timeline for the 2023 general election, announced September 28, 2022 and October 12, 2022 for the commencement of the Presidential/National Assembly campaigns; and governorship/state houses of assembly, respectively, emphasising that every political party shall commence campaigns in public 150 days or five months before polling day and end 24 hours prior to the day in accordance with section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022.

It is a known fact that campaigns are done with the aim to convince or woo voters, however, in less than three months to the last day of campaigns for the long-expected poll, observers in Edo State say there have been little or no enthusiasm in the campaign fields for candidates to canvass for votes and demonstrate their capacities as well as unveil their plans to the people.

It is worthy of note that the only positions in the elections for candidates in Edo State are the three senatorial districts, nine seats in House of Representatives and 24 seats at the Edo State House of Assembly which will take place on two different occasions in February 25 and March 11, 2023.

Although there have been mobile advertisement through branded vehicles, jingles and neighbourhood campaigns, there have been lukewarm attitude by some candidates and their parties in Edo State, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), according to pundits. This they attributed to the lack of financial power as well as the undecided factor in the umbrella party which was occasioned by the series of court cases.

Prior to the commencement of the campaigns, the Edo State chapter of PDP supposedly conducted parallel primary elections that led to the emergence of different candidates. The situation, subsequently, led to several cases at the court over the authenticity of candidates for the various elective positions in the 2023 general election.

“Our candidates have been campaigning. What is going on is that most of them are trying to employ the door-to-door campaign or mosquito campaigns. So, most of them do not think it is time for big rallies and want to be doing their door-to-door movement for now. Person to person contact makes a lot of difference. More so, this is festive period and hopefully, by January, I am sure they will resume big gatherings and rallies,” Hillary Otsu, secretary, Edo State chapter of PDP, said.

Otsu, while stressing that a lot is ongoing behind the scenes and the candidates are reaching out quietly, noted that the state chapter of the umbrella party has setup campaign council across the different local government areas as well as the senatorial districts.

According to him, “I do not think there is any Local Government Areas and senatorial districts that have not setup their campaign council. They have all done that over the last three to four weeks. Once campaign council is setup, the next thing is to do the work.”

Speaking on how the controversies surrounding the party’s candidates list and the ensuing court cases have affected campaigns, Otsu said, “Yes, it has affected and, no, it hasn’t affected it. Some of the candidates are keeping tabs on whatever is being done legally. While some are also aware of the Electoral Act and since they have not been found wanting in terms of their primaries certified by INEC during the monitoring of the primaries, it does not bother them because they know that the law will take its course. The case is now at the Supreme Court, and the apex court, which is the final arbiter, will certainly grant a positive ruling.

Peter Uwadiae, Edo State publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the atmosphere is quiet because the party is yet to officially flag-off its campaign in Edo South senatorial district, which, he said, would gain momentum after they unveil campaigns on Saturday, December 10, 2022.

“We are a very organised political party and must get it done the way it is ought to be done. And, by this way, we scheduled that we will first officially flag-off at the senatorial level and then move to the local governments. If you go round town, you will see our banners and posters are now being put in place towards the official flag-off on Saturday. Once we do this flag-off, everything will follow.

“The Edo south senatorial district comprises seven local government areas, including three metropolitan local governments of Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha and Egor. Others are Orhionmwon, Uhunmwonde, Ovia North East and Ovia South West and that is why there is quietness within this metropolis.

“Edo North and Edo Central senatorial districts had officially commenced their campaigns and that is why you are seeing pockets of campaigns in those areas. You cannot continue to do campaigns where it has not officially commenced,” Uwadiae said.

Speaking further, he said: “Our candidates are gearing up for the elections. Campaign is done within the purview of your finance. All these things are regulated by the Electoral Act. There is a level of financial commitment that political parties are supposed to put in their campaigns and because we are a democratic political party, we will follow what the Electoral Act says.

“We will do ours according to law and we believe very strongly that we have the resources. We want to do it within the purview of the law,” he added.

Kelly Ogbaloi, Edo State Labour Party (LP) chairman, who opined that the campaigns have been affected by funding, noted that the candidates from the party are campaigning and the focus has not been shifted to the presidential candidate alone.

“The elaborate nature is not so as it used to be because the economy of the country has killed the economic power of everybody contesting. This is not peculiar to Labour Party.

“For House of Assembly, we have been doing campaigns at the local government areas. The same thing is ongoing for the various constituencies in the house of representatives as well as senatorial districts,” Ogbaloi said.

Corroborating, Samson Isibor, chairman, Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) in Edo State, said “campaigns have never been like this. The development is alarming and it is not what we are expecting because there are too much uncertainties in many of the parties, litigations and court injunctions.

“To crown it all, there is lack of finance. Without finance, you cannot do any campaign. People are very cautious and do not want to spend the little money they have before the real electioneering begins sometime from January 2023. The godfather factor isn’t that too obvious, this time it will be based on popularity and charisma. Even the ruling party is not campaigning because they are in quagmire compared to us the less parties.

“The voters, who are supposed to vote, are only hearing the noise of the presidential candidates. We don’t even know the candidates in the state. By now, they should be going from street to street but there is nothing like that at the moment. This may result in voter apathy because they won’t even know the candidates and their parties to vote for,” Isibor said.