By SIMON EBEGBULEM, Benin City

Ahead the July 14, 2012governorship election in Edo State, there is tension in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  Edo state as the party conducts its governorship primaries today 25 February, 2012, at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium Benin City. The party last week concluded the tour of the 192 wards in the state as one of its preparations for the governorship contest which is expected to be “mother of all battles”, considering the interest and personalities involved.

The PDP in the state was in power from 1999-2007, until the Appeal Court judgment swept away the administration of Prof.Osarhiemen Osunbor declaring Comrade Adams Oshiomhole the authentic winner of the April 14, 2007 governorship election in the state. Since then, the party has been a shadow if itself, leading to majority of its members moving to the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Mathew Iduoriyekenwen

However, the party under the leadership of Chief Dan Orbih, had picked up its pieces to move on. Some party members such as one of the governorship aspirants, Barr Ken Imasuagbon also help immensely in resurrecting the party through his yearly rice sharing ritual. Today, he is known as “Ken Rice”, and his style helped in bringing back the name PDP, in the lips of the people.

However, the party has been very active in the past four months when it started its ward tour. Five aspirants of the party will today slug it out for the ticket of the party.

The aspirants are former Governor of the state, Prof.Osarhiemen Osunbor (Edo Central), Barr.Ken Imasuagbon (Edo Central), former Presidential Aide, Prof.Julius Ihonvbere (Edo North), former Commander Army Finance Corps, Gen.Charles Airhiavbere (Edo South) and the former State representative in the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Barr.Mathew Iduoriyekenwen (Edo South).

Nine aspirants were earlier in the race until they decided to withdraw from the race. Two of the aspirants Jacob Idinye and Barr. Aigbe, have since pitched 10th with Gen Airhiavbere. Saturday Vanguard learnt that the former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Tony Anenih, had made efforts to appeal to the five aspirants to discuss among themselves with a view to prune down the number to one or two in order to avoid a rancorous exercise today, but that had met a brick wall.

The five aspirants Saturday Vanguard observed have the individual believe that they can defeat Oshiomhole in the general election. And looking at the aspirants critically, they all have both their weak and strong points. And they have been working so hard trying to convince the 735 delegates that will participate in the governorship primaries today. So far, it is difficult to predict who picks the ticket because unlike in the past, Saturday Vanguard learnt that Chief Anenih has not anointed any aspirant.

It was said that the PDP national leader, was learnt has been plotting quietly to out stage Oshiomhole, has been making frantic efforts to ensure that today’s primary does not polarize the party. That is why Saturday Vanguard was reliably informed by a close party source that, “he wanted the aspirants to use their brains and make the best decision themselves. Some of them know that they cannot even win election in their own wards or families but they are still insisting to go for the primaries.

Ken Imasuagbon

Chief has been playing a fatherly role all these while, yet these people would not want to use their brains. He has even told the state leadership of the party to refund the nomination money paid by the aspirants in the event that any of them decides to withdraw from the race. But they are still being stubborn and deceiving themselves.”

Saturday Vanguard however learnt that if the aspirants fail to reach agreement by Friday evening, the National Leader may give the signal to the leaders on where to vote.

But there are strong indications that the ticket may be ceded to Edo South senatorial district and if that happens, Gen Airhiavbere or Iduoriyekemwen may pick it. But a top party source informed Saturday Vanguard that “the delegates may shock the party leaders by voting their conscience. As I am speaking to you, Imasuagbon is the leading aspirant now, so don’t be surprised if he picks it.

He has been able to create a niche for himself and has won the hearts of many as the Rice Man.(Imasuagbon is from the Central district like Anenih and Osunbor)”. The party source added that “though Ihonvbere would have been the best for the party but his senatorial district, Edo North is the problem. That area produced the current Governor Oshiomhole, PDP Chairman Orbih, the Chief of Staff to the President Chief Mike Oghiadohme that is the problem”.

However, the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Pharm.Matthew Urhoghide who briefed newsmen on the preparedness of the party to conduct a free and fair primary, dispelled the rumour that the party had concluded plans to conduct the primaries in Port Harcourt . He also addressed several issues bordering on today’s primaries.

His words: “We as a party has satisfied all the conditions prescribed by law, like the 2010 Electoral Law which stipulates conditions for ensuring internal democracy in the party which states that any choice that the party must make must enjoy popular support. We have created a level playing field for all our aspirants from the very beginning.

Charles Airhiavbere

And the people that will nominate the governorship primary are the delegates. We have five aspirants who have been screened and they have fulfilled all the conditions required by law. We have a total of 735 delegates made up of statutory delegates, they are 159 in number. Then we have the adhoc delegates, 576 in number. Three delegates came from each of the 192 wards. All the aspirants were satisfied with the delegates’ congress which held last week Saturday.

So we have 735 delegates and this number is sacrosanct. Again, contrary to the rumours that we are having our primaries in Port Harcourt , this exercise is about Edo state governorship election and all our delegates are all over the state so it will be meaningless for any to think that these people will be moved to Port Harcourt .

I want to say that the issue of security that day is very important. And for the purpose of ensuring security, we are appealing to our party members and the public that anyone who is not invited in the venue should not come.”

We want a transparent exercise so we don’t want distractions”. However, as expected Governor Oshiomhole and members of his party, the ACN will want to know who emerges today and as a result there is political tension in the state. Anenih has vowed to oust Oshiomhole come July 14, 2012 and his weapon for that battle will be known today.

Though many still believe that no matter who emerges today, Oshiomhole will still retain his position due to how he has been able to transform the state but those who has followed Chief Anenih’s politics in the past believes, he still have the capacity to fix things. But one thing will be clear after the congress today, whoever emerges, will give a preview of how the old war horse intends to approach the forthcoming guber election in Edo State .