Oshiomhole’s Misstep: How Not to Market a Candidate

ADAMS Oshiomhole’s approach to marketing Senator Monday Okpebholo for the 2024 Edo State Governorship election is misguided. By speaking on Okpebholo’s behalf without allowing him to articulate his own vision, Oshiomhole undermines the principles of participatory democracy.

Leaders should communicate their plans and policies directly to the people, rather than relying on surrogates or godfathers whose intents and purposes are to be rewarded with juicy contracts, in the long run. This is where the axiom gained its currency: that political godfathers are not Father Christmas because their heavy financial and moral investments have never gone unrewarded.

Ironically, Oshiomhole, who once championed the “no to godfatherism” campaign during his tenure as Edo State Governor (2007-2016), has become the very thing he once criticized. By preventing Okpebholo from addressing the Edo people, Oshiomhole’s actions contradict his previous stance and stifle democratic evolution.

This tactic promotes individualism, criminalizes the political class, and reduces political participation. It’s a stark reminder of the unregenerative political strategies that have hindered Africa’s and Nigeria’s democratic progress. For once, the handlers of Monday Okpebholo and his genuine and true lovers should step in to rescue him from Oshiomhole’s primitive campaign strategy.

Between (2016-2020), Edo State Governorship elections that ushered in Governor Godwin Obaseki, the ghost of Adams Oshiomhole resurrected again for Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu’s campaign in the manners it is presently menacing and hurting Monday Okpebholo’s ambition.

Eight years ago, Oshiomhole, as the outgoing governor of Edo State, made several allegations against Ize-Iyamu, alleging, among others, that he was a cultist and could not be trusted with the financial resources of the state. Oshiomhole spoke when he was marketing Godwin Obaseki as his successor as governor in 2016.

But in 2020, the same Oshiomhole changed preferences and adopted Ize-Iyamu as the best person to carry on as governor of the state. In demonstration of his perceived sincerity, Oshiomhole had to physically kneel down for stakeholders in the state and apologized for bringing Obaseki to government. Unfortunately for Pastor Ize-Iyamu, Oshiomhole up till date did not make any public apology to the man he hurt so badly in 2016 for assassinating his character.

The tragedy of Oshiomhole’s hosting of Monday Okpebholo on his head as a godson is monumentally disconcerting and disorienting – not just for political growth or its stagnancy at worst – but for the larger impression and perceptions of us as people who gloried in the celebration of the very worst amongst us.

Oshiomhole should allow Okpebholo to speak for himself as the candidate for this election, enabling the people to make informed decisions about their future leader. The durable candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Barrister Osarodion Ogie, have spoken dutifully to Edo voters on their ambition and manifesto. Oshiomhole’s misstep is demarketing for Monday Okpebholo’s governorship bid.

Erasmus Ikhide contributed this piece via: [email protected]