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Etim Etim

Gov. Monday Okpebholo of Edo State flew into Akwa Ibom State late in the afternoon of Saturday, December 28, to visit Senator Godswill Akpabio and express his profound gratitude for the singular role the senate president played in his emergence as governor in the September 21 election. But the visit has left in its wake a swirl of political undercurrents in both Akwa Ibom and Edo States. In Akwa Ibom, many APC chieftains are peeved that they were not invited to receive the Edo governor at Akpabio’s residence in Uyo and the dinner that was later hosted for the governor at Sheraton Hotel, Ikot Ekpene. For many, it is a further proof that the party is still as divided as it has been for years. In Edo, the visit reverberated in a different way, setting off discussions about Akpabio’s second term bid as Senate President and a possible challenge from Senator Adam Oshiomhole. The 2027 political season is unfolding in a rather dramatic way.

Unknown to many, Senator AKpabio is the main reason Okpobholo is governor today. On February 17, 2024, Dennis Idahosa, a member of the House of Representatives was declared winner of the Edo State APC governorship primary. Backed by Senator Oshiomhole, Idahosa polled 40, 483 votes, beating other candidates. But it was a very controversial nomination process. Although the result was disputed by all other contestants, Idahosa’s main political weakness was that he is from Edo South Senatorial District, the same district the outgoing governor, Godwin Obaseki, comes from. And that’s where Akpabio, ever so quick to identify opportunities, comes in. The Senate President reckoned that since the PDP’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo, is from Edo Central which was favoured by the zoning arrangement, and the APC and Labour Party’s candidates are from Edo South, the chance of PDP retaining victory was very high. The Senate President reasoned that APC’s chance would be brighter if the party fielded a candidate from Edo Central. But what could be done at this stage since a primary had already been held?

Mid morning that February, Senator Akpabio rushed to the Villa to discuss the dilemma with Vice President Kashim Shettima (President Tinubu was away on a foreign trip). He briefed the VP on the need to replace Idahosa with a candidate from Edo Central. The VP listened attentively to Akpabio, but was not willing to go with Akpabio’s recommendation, apparently because he did not want to offend Oshiomhole. Undaunted, Akpabio then got on the phone and spoke to President Tinubu who was in Ethiopia He marshaled out his the merits of replacing Idahosa from Edo South with another candidate from Edo Central because of the zoning arrangement and the fact that Idahosa is from the same zone as the exiting governor. ‘’The President was convinced by Akpabio’s arguments, but on the condition that Akapbio must see to the victory of APC in the election’’, a well-placed source told this writer. Akpabio assured the President that he would pull all stops to clinch victory. The President then called Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the party’s National Chairman, and instructed him to organize another primary. The Senate President tapped Godwin Okpeboloh, who was then a nondescript member of the Senate, to enter the race. To take care of Oshiomhole’s interest, it was decided that Idahosa will now become the deputy governorship candidate to Okpebholo.

But why was Akpabio so concerned with Edo election and the choice of APC’s candidate? The answer is self preservation. If Senator Oshiomhole returns to the Senate in 2027, he is likely to challenge Akapbio for the Senate President position. So, in Akpabio’s calculation, it was politically expedient to whittle down Oshiomhole’s influence by denying him the opportunity to produce the governor. Akpabio only capitalized on Oshiomhole’s support for Idahosa. ‘’it was a smart political calculation by Akpabio and the Senate President had to relocate to Edo State throughout the campaigns just to ensure that Okpebholo won as President Tinubu told him’’, said an APC chieftain who was part of the intrigues. Akpabio’s maneuvers to get Okpebholo elected typify the kind of cold calculations that our political leaders bring up just to sustain and promote their self interests. How I wish they are so innovative in dealing with our economic problems. When Governor-elect Okpebholo visited President Tinubu in the Villa after the election, the President confirmed Akpabio’s role in APC’s victory. Tinubu told the governor-elect, ‘’you have Akpabio to thank for your emergence as governor’’.

In Uyo during the Christmas holidays, the Senate President was in a buoyant mood when the Edo governor came calling. He praised Okpebholo for his self effacement and resilience and bragged about APC winning more states in the region. Is the Senate President looking at Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa or Akwa Ibom State as the next target? From all indications, the party does not stand a chance of taking Akwa Ibom. It is too weak, divided and factionalized in the state to launch a major assault against the PDP which has governed the state since 1999. Even Akpabio’s guest list at the dinner he held for the Edo governor was telling enough. Only a handful of APC leaders like Senator Ita Enang (former Presidential Adviser); Mr. Victor Antai (NDDC Executive Director, Projects); Ezekiel Nya-Etok (Director, Federal Housing Authority); Mrs Eunice Thomas (NNPC director) and Mr. Ekperikpe Ekpo (Minister of State Petroleum (gas)) attended, while chieftains like Umana Umana (former minister of Niger Delta Affairs); Chief Don Etiebet (former Petroleum Minister); Obong Nsima Ekere (Deputy governor to Akapbio himself); Sam Ewang (businessman and former military governor of Ogun and Rivers State); Mrs Valerie Ebe (another of Akapbio’s deputy governor) and Dr. Ita Udosen ( APC South-South Zonal Secretary) were among those who were not invited to the dinner party because of their perceived political disagreements with Akapbio. ‘’How can the Senate President host such a high-profile event and majority of our leaders were not invited? That’s a symptom of serious internal discord and disharmony within the party and that does not bode well for the party’’, said Elder Aniefiok Isatt, APC leader from Uyo.