The ruling political party in Edo State, the All Progressive Congress, APC is almost good to kick start its full blown campaign in the state to market its brand. Yes, I said brand because the party flagbearer, Godwin Obaseki is beyond a good product but a brand every true member of the APC family should be proud of, having emerged the BEST out of the bests in the June 18 primaries of the party. The party leadership in the state has intensified efforts aimed at appealing to aggrieved members who felt short changed at the just concluded primaries. It’s no gainsaying the fact that the comrade governor and leader of the party in the state, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole has spearheaded this trouble shooting mission across the state. Meetings have been going on with stakeholders at different levels, traditional rulers, student bodies, market women/men, auto parts dealers, transport workers unions etc. It has been dialogue, dialogue and dialogue since June 18. Anyway, there is no end to dialogue, especially in a political environment like ours because there is no war where there is jaw- jaw.
However, no matter how much efforts you put in, there are some persons who would remain adamant, stubborn as the he goat, they want to play the spoiler. Like the proverbial fowl, they put up the primitive attitude of “whatever I cannot have, I destroy.” But the party leadership, especially the standard bearer must bend backward and do everything humanly possible to appease the aggrieved. Having done this, the next chapter before going to the field would be the setting up of the campaign structure of the party. Every other structure is expected to collapse into a massive one with one voice, all working for the party, APC. The campaign team must be a potpourri of sort, comprising of the good, the bad and the ugly. To make the reconciliation total and truly genuine, other aspirants must have input in the formation of this team. It should be noted here that the name Godwin Obaseki will not be on the ballot paper for the September 10 election but that of the party and it’s logo which is the broom. Hence, all hands must be on deck to market the party and it’s face in Edo State. I must say hear that for the purpose of this election, Obaseki will be wearing the face of Oshiomhole as the face of the campaign. that is, the monumental achievements of the Oshiomhole administration in the last seven and a half years will be the campaign pegs in the state. These people-oriented eye marks dotting the entire landscape remain unparallele in the annals of Edo politics.
This may however sound awkward to some persons but that is the hard reality. Oshiomhole or Obaseki, the end justifies the means, according to Machiavelli. Which ever way, we are not ready to go back to Egypt. We have come to remain in this Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey.
Done with this trouble shooting, another sensitive issue here which must be handled with the utmost caution is that of the running mate to complement the Obaseki ticket. This is one sore area capable of tearing the party apart if not well handled. Nothing is more dangerous to a political party than the battle within. Battle within can lead to protest votes and outright sabotage during elections.These class of persons will not leave the party, they play along, attend critical meetings of stakeholders, gather useful and sensitive information, use such information to hit at the party where it hurts most. APC must do everything possible to avoid this. Some persons call it deputy, this is a misnormal because there is no deputy yet until the ticket wins election and it’s sworn into office. So, appropriately, he is the running mate, some one who runs the election with the ticket holder so as to fulfill requirements of the law. No ticket is valid without a running mate and the campaign must kick off with a valid ticket.
However,, there is need for wide, painstaking consultations with all relevant stakeholders to arrive at a strong and electorally viable running mate before making it public. The era are clearly over when running mates are picked based on primordial sentiments of religion and ethnicity/tribalism. Running mates are no longer seen as mere “spare tyres” but persons with very strong characters and high electoral value cutting across all strata of the society.
Someone who can stand his own anywhere in the world. I must caution here that the running mate is one who stands-in in the absence of the governor. So, he/she must be as good as the governor if not better. In law, there is a thin line between the two offices but in reality, there is a world of difference, especially in this climes. Permit me to say that our dear state, is not lacking in persons of these sterling qualities and they abound in the APC. But the party has to painstakingly sieve the wheet from the chaff, devoid of sentiments in order to arrive at a marketable candidate with impeccable character that would have a general appeal and best complement the Obaseki ticket.
Some names have been thrown up as possible candidates as running mate. These names have been trending in the social media with every click making strong case for persons they believe will best butter their bread on assumption of office. Unfortunately, these social media foot soldiers are not bothered about what becomes of the state and the party if the wrong choice is picked as running mate. I read through their posted jaundiced arguments and I get worried. They are heavily tainted with clanish self interest. As public commentators, I believe we should be more interested in the larger interest, that which will be for the common good rather than this narrow self- serving interests.
