Buhari’s victory: New political leadership emerges in Edo

The change of political leadership at the Federal Government level, occasioned by the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, at the presidential election, may have opened new frontier for the emergence of new political leaders in Edo State.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had since 1999 dominated the political leadership at all levels of governance across the country, except Lagos. The change in political leadership will be more pronounced in geo-political zones and states that have been in the opposition in the past years.

In Edo and Delta, for instance, where the PDP leadership had held sway at the national level, new crop of leadership is expected to emerge. In Edo State, with the exit of leaders like Tony Anenih, Gabriel Igbinedion, Mike Oghiadomhe, Mike Onolememen, among others, another political gate is expected to open where Adams Oshiomhole, current state governor, John Odigie-Oyegun, APC national chairman, and few others will expectedly detect the pace of things for the next few years.

In Edo Central senatorial districts where Tony Anenih and his political lieutenants hail from and have been dominating the political space, especially in the nomination and appointment of political office holders into federal positions such as ministerial appointments, ambassadorial, board members, among others, this is likely to change.

The major casualties in the districts are Tom Ikimi, a founding member of APC and former minister of foreign affairs in the Sani Abacha military regime who decamped recently to the PDP from APC.

He left the party as a result of internal crisis in the state as well as inability to secure the national chairmanship position of the party along with Frank Erewele, Tony Omoaghe, the pioneer state chairman of the defunct Action Congress (AC),

In Edo South senatorial district, those that may lose out in the new political arrangement are Oasgie Ize-Iyamu, a founding member of the party and who was before leaving the party last year a national vice chairman, South-South geo-political zone, Amos Osunbor, Edo South senatorial leader among other stalwarts.

Some likely new leaders in the senatorial district will be Patrick Obahiagbon, Gentleman Amegor, Osarodion Ogie, the incumbent commissioner for works, Pius Odubu, state deputy governor and others.