By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor
When contestants in today’s elections step into the ring to fight for a ticket into either the Senate or the House of Representatives, they will be putting not only their own political career at stake but that of their godfathers. For a defeat for the son/daughter may jeopardise, for life, the immense influence of the godfather.

President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The apostle of do or die elections is undoubtedly cast in the last political battle of his life. While he is not featuring as a candidate in the elections, his proxies are all spread around in his native Ogun State where they are running on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in his native Ogun State.

Obasanjo is pitched in battle against Governor Gbenga Daniel who is flying candidates on the platform of the Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN and also against the machinery of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN in the State.

It is in recognition of the awesome and sometimes wily machinations of the former President that fueled reports of the once unbelievable reconciliation of Governor Daniel and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Both men were reported to have forged an alliance to stop Obasanjo’s candidates from prevailing in the ongoing elections.

While an accord has not been reached on an alliance between ACN and PPN in the National Assembly elections, it is generally believed that both parties would use today’s election to weigh their chances and work out a scheme to stop Obasanjo especially in the gubernatorial election.

However, President Obasanjo’s political stock would today be directly measured by the outcome of the elections involving his daughter, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo_Bello who is faced with a strong challenge from Mrs. Lola Abiola_Edewor, daughter of the deceased winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola.

Obasanjo’s larger political profile would also be affected by the outcome of the gubernatorial and presidential elections. Defeat for the PDP’s gubernatorial candidate in Ogun State, Gen. Tunji Olurin especially in the hands of the PPN’s Gboyega Isiaka would diminish Obasanjo locally.

Defeat for Obasanjo’s adopted political godson, President Goodluck Jonathan would also diminish Obasanjo’s national political profile and herald him into near political irrelevance the sort that the Yar‘Adua political clan were at one time nudging him unto.

Chief Anthony Anenih
The famed political prowess of the Leader is barring any further slips from Comrade (Governor) Adams Oshiomhole set for serious tackling. In the typical way he has confounded friends and foes by resurrecting from political abyss, Anenih has in recent months sought to strengthen himself for the ensuing battle through unimaginable political realignments.

Anenih

He has against all odds reconciled with some of his former critics and foes including Senator Roland Owie, Dr. Tunde Lakoju, Pharm. Matthew Uroginde, Dr. Roland Edosa among others who lost out in the internal crisis in the Edo State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN.

The former ACN zealots who lost out in the primaries on account of what they said was the violation of the one man one vote mantra of their former party were said to have been surprisingly welcomed to a free and fair primaries conducted by the PDP.

Anenih’s political stock would be boosted if after today’s election the PDP is able to retain at least two of the senatorial seats on offer. Despite Oshiomhole’s political faux pas in the primaries, his prospects are, however, daunting given the claimed infrastructural development efforts of Oshiomhole.

Remarkably, with Anenih’s PDP’s fielding the leader’s reliable hands such as Senators Yisa Braimoh (North), Odion Ugbesia (Central) and Daisy Danjuma (South) in the Senate elections, the outcome would have direct impact on the personal political profile of the leader. Indeed, his national bearing even if President Jonathan is returned would be diminished.

Senator Chimaroke Nnamani
The man that brought the Ebeano phenomenon to bear on the politics of Enugu State is today fighting not just for his own political survival but for the continued expression of a political phenomenon that he espoused at his political zenith.

It is reflective of the consideration that is at stake for Nnamani that for more than three months now that he relocated from Abuja to Enugu and conceived the trend of door to door campaign that has now been emulated by many other political office seekers.

But how successful he would be after today’s election remains a matter of conjecture. He is after all pitched against a cabal that took after him and learnt the political lessons from him.

His contenders do not just include the apostates from the Ebeano group such as the State Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime and other political office holders who he singularly placed in office, but also those he fought off in his bid to position Mr. Chime and others in office.

Senator Jim Nwobodos, Senator Ken Nnamani, the Nwodo political clan among others who were set aside by the Ebeano political train may also shiver at suggestions that Enugu could again be dancing to the rhythms of Ebeano melody.

Senator Chimaroke is contesting as the senatorial candidate on the platform of the People for Democratic Change, PDC.