The recent media attacks by the Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District, Senator Ned Nwoko, on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori over the Independent Power Plant[IPP) project in Okpai, Delta State, has been described as unsavoury and an attempt to coerce, stampede and blackmail the Governor before the public.

Executive Assistant to the Governor on Public Enlightenment (Projects and Policies), Mr Olisa Ifeajika, stated this at a news conference on Thursday in Asaba.

Ifeajika, who said that Nigeria operates a three-tier government system, with defined roles and functions, urged Senator Nwoko to focus on the job of bringing democratic dividends from the Federal Government to his constituency, the reason why he was elected by the people.

He said that Nwoko’s attempt to demonise Governor Oborevwori over the IPP Step-Down, a Federal Government project, was unfortunate and deliberate intention to create unnecessary tension in the state.

According to him, Nigeria’s Constitution operates three tiers of government, and we all know how government functions. At all levels, there is the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judiciary, and they complement each other to function well.

“As constituents of members of the National Assembly from the state, we look up to them to attract development in different dimensions from the Federal Government to the Constituencies.

“Senator Nwoko’s job, like those in the House of Assembly here in Delta, is to work closely with President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council to attract development to Delta North, and by extension, to the state.

“Members of the House of Assembly here are also expected to work closely with Governor Oborevwori to attract projects and dividends of democracy to their people just as Councilors are expected to work closely with Local Government Council Chairmen to attract projects to their various wards.

“The first phase of the IPP project in Okpai in Ndokwa East, whose work started in 2002 was inaugurated by then President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005, with the capacity to generate 480 megawats of electricity.

“Senator Nwoko knows where the authority for power generation and distribution in the country lies. He knows that the national grid where generated electricity is warehoused and distributed is under federal control.

“He knew all these and found that there was need to get the management of the IPP to meet an agreement that was reached before now so that Okpai community and others around that area could have a step down.”

The Governor’s aide recalled that Senator Nwoko had on March 7, 2024, moved a motion on the floor of the Senate asking the IPP Joint Venture partners – Federal Government, represented by NNPCL, Agip and Conoco to complete the step-down project.

He disclosed that the motion also urged the Federal Government to investigate the delay in distributing 100 megawatts of electricity to Okpai and adjoining communities through the proposed step-down.

“The motion didn’t say that Delta State Government should carry out or complete the step-down. This is because the state government was not involved in any way.

“The did not also asked that Delta State Government should be investigated for the delay in distributing the 100 megawatts of electricity from the IPP.

“Senator Nwoko knew where to situate the motion, and it was properly situated. We, therefore, find his utterances a bit uncharitable for him to begin to armtwist Governor Oborevwori to pick the bill of the Okpai project, which was not in any way within the purview of the state government.

“Senator Nwoko is in Abuja to bring whatever is available there to Deltans. We see a situation where he was trying to coerce and stampede the governor as something akin to blackmail.

“It became more uncharitable when he said that the governor must bring out the money to pay the contractors upfront. This is very irregular”, he said.

“We expected Senator Nwoko to fight at the national level and make the Federal Government to get the project done and not to come to the state to coerce Governor Oborevwori to use state funds to complete the project.

“We call on Senator Nwoko to pursue the case with the Federal Government who owns the project. He should rather champion the reconstruction of federal roads that are in terrible conditions in his constituency, including Onicha-Ugbo-Idumuje-Ugboko-Ewohinmi-Abuja road, which passes through his community (Idumuje-Ugboko) directly.

“We are worried that as the only Senator the PDP has in the state, he is creating a scenario of frosty relationship with the governor. We expect a healthy and positive collaboration with the governor for effective development of the state.

“Oborevwori couldn’t have told the Senator that he was paying debts left for him by the Okowa administration, because he (Oborevwori) understands governance and knows that government is a continuum.

“Senator Nwoko should learn from the Member representing Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency, Hon. Nnamdi Ezechi, who has been very vocal, fighting and championing the course of why he was elected, including the Ukpai IPP.”

Ifeajika, who was Chief Press Secretary to the immediate past Governor, also debunked insinuations that Governor Oborevwori was concentrating development in Warri and environs.

“There is this notion that the previous administration did so much in Asaba and neglected Warri and environs and it was explained over and over that it was necessary to deflood Warri before proper road construction could be done there, hence Warri wasn’t given so much attention like other areas.

“Now that the drains in Warri are almost completed, Governor Oborevwori has started giving the city the attention it deserves and it is commendable because it is our wish to see Warri come back to its glory days.

“Rather than lampoon Governor Oborevwori for giving Warri attention, he should be commended and encouraged to do more in other areas that are lagging in the development of the state”, Ifeajika added.

Edo State governorship election is approaching its final stages, with the three major candidates in the race striving to secure enough votes to emerge victorious.

In this analysis, DAILY POST reviews the chances of the candidates ahead of Saturday’s election.

Although INEC listed 17 candidates for Saturday’s election, the contest has taken the form of a three-horse race, with Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party, and Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress, APC, leading the charge.

Apart from these three candidates and others who will appear on the ballot on Saturday, several key figures have significant stakes in the race.

Former Governor Adams Oshiomhole and incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki are engaged in an open battle to deliver their respective candidates.

Mr Obaseki paved the way for his longtime associate, Ighodalo, in a tightly contested primary, while Oshiomhole is backing his colleague in the Senate, Okpebholo.

This race bears similarities to the 2020 governorship election. However, the emergence of the Labour Party as a third force has introduced an element of uncertainty that could shift the election in a different direction.

Politics of Rotation

Edo State, like other states in Nigeria, is divided into three senatorial districts: Edo South, Edo North, and Edo Central.

In terms of the number of local governments, Edo South has the largest, with seven LGAs, followed by Edo North with six, and Edo Central with five.

Since 1999, there has been an informal power rotation arrangement in the state.

In 2007, the ruling party in the state nominated Oserheimen Osunbor from Edo Central after eight years of Lucky Igbinedion.

Meanwhile, the main opposition party, the ACN, nominated Oshiomhole from Edo North.

INEC subsequently announced Osunbor as the winner of the election; however, the Court of Appeal nullified the result after one year and five months.

In 2016, Oshiomhole supported Obaseki, a candidate from Edo South, when he faced Ize Iyamu, a popular candidate also from Edo South.

Following their fallout, in 2020, Mr Oshiomhole backed Mr Iyamu against his former protégé, but they were defeated.

In the lead-up to the primaries for the current election, there appeared to be a consensus that power should shift to the Central district.

However, Mr Oshiomhole still pushed for an Edo South candidate by supporting Dennis Idahosa during the primaries, but Idahosa was outmatched by Mr Okpebholo. After some reconciliation, Mr Oshiomhole succeeded in having his candidate join the ticket as the running mate.

The outcome of the APC and PDP primaries set up a potential Edo Central matchup.

However, the Labour Party opted for an Edo South candidate, Olumide Akpata.

Akpata’s emergence has divided the Obidient movement, particularly those from Edo Central who believe power should be zoned to their district for equity.

“The three major parties are aware of Edo State’s political inclination. The APC gave their ticket to Edo Central, and the PDP did the same, so why didn’t the LP follow suit?

“There are good men in the LP from Edo Central who worked for Peter Obi during the last election,” FS Yusuf, a prominent Peter Obi supporter, posted on his X handle as he declared support for Mr Ighodalo, the PDP candidate.

Fallout from Primaries

All the major parties experienced fallout from their primaries. In the APC, two candidates claimed the ticket, and it took the intervention of the party hierarchy to prevent an inconclusive primary.

Following the election, President Bola Tinubu also intervened before Oshiomhole’s camp settled for the running mate slot. Since then, Oshiomhole has played a leading role in the campaign.

On the other hand, the PDP had a much more significant fallout, particularly involving Philip Shuaibu, who was later impeached as deputy governor after defying his boss to contest the primary and declaring himself the candidate of a parallel primary. Mr Shuaibu, who is from Edo North, is backing the APC candidate.

The responsibility of countering Shuaibu falls on Omobayo Godwin, a 38-year-old appointed as deputy governor by Mr Obaseki.

Senatorial District Permutations

The APC and PDP have similar arrangements regarding their candidates and running mates. Mr Ighodalo’s running mate is Osarodion Ogie, who hails from Edo South. Similarly, Idahosa, the APC running mate, is also from Edo South.

In contrast, the Labour Party is fielding a Christian-Muslim ticket, pairing Edo South with Edo North. Kadiri Asamah, an Auchi prince, is expected to attract the Muslim vote from Edo North.

Edo Central, with its five local governments, is expected to be a battleground between the PDP and APC.

Similarly, both parties view Edo South as contested territory, despite the presence of Mr Akpata, the sole candidate from the district.

The APC may consider itself dominant in Edo North. In the last governorship election, the party won only five LGAs, all in Edo North.

However, the Labour Party’s decision to choose Asamah as running mate may appeal to Muslims in Edo North, who have frequently complained of marginalisation.

The PDP may use the outcome of the State House of Assembly elections in 2023 as an indicator of its strength in this election.

Although the party suffered defeats in the presidential and National Assembly elections, it secured a landslide victory in the state assembly election.

With Peter Obi not being on the ballot, the Obidient movement may not have the same impact as in the 2023 general election.

Meanwhile, the APC candidate has been criticised by some observers for his lack of eloquence, with some even describing him as ‘not too lettered’ due to his public gaffes.

The state of the economy may also play a significant role in the election, as many Nigerians are angry over the current economic condition.

However, the ruling party benefits from the advantage of “federal might,” a factor that opposition parties, particularly the PDP, have raised concerns about.

It could be recalled that Governor Obaseki refused to sign the peace accord and declared the election a “do or die affair.”

President Bola Tinubu will not be present at this year’s 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The President has assigned Vice President Kashim Shettima the responsibility of heading Nigeria’s delegation.

President Tinubu, who arrived back in the country last Sunday following his visits to China and the United Kingdom, is prioritizing domestic matters and aims to tackle some of the nation’s pressing challenges, particularly in light of the recent severe flooding.