Who is promising to “fix” Edo State in their manifesto? Who do you believe? The hour to let real issues overtake sentiments is finally upon us. Zoning sentiments, tribal sentiments and professoriate delivery sentiments are out as INEC declares the Edo2024 campaign season officially open today 24 April 2024.
The first and most important document we will see from each candidate is their “manifesto”. What is in their manifesto is their choice but for us it needs to answer our questions. Questions such as, what is possible? how are you going to deliver it? Is it realistic?
As we look forward to seeing each candidate launch their manifestos today, the guideline is that they must make their manifestos as “Simple as Possible”. Say what you want to do, what you can do and do not bring false promises. Edos do not want a repeat of The Simple Agenda of Pastor Ize Iyamu 8 years ago which was everything “not simple”, as was the make Edo Great again MEGA by Godwin Obaseki, which at the end translated to Make Edo Break Again, you get my point. In Edo 2024, Edos want a simple manifesto that includes “pledges & a time frame”. I will do this, in this time. Period.
Godwin Obaseki has finished his tenure after 8 years and whilst his general performance divides opinions, not many will deny he has been able to move Edo State forward from what he inherited. GO scores high in civil service reforms and payment of salaries but he has left a lot of problems behind – flooding, cultism, security, roads, health, education, agriculture, diaspora involvement, electricity, education, entertainment, housing shortage, increased taxes, and the elephant in the room, the “Benin Artefacts”.
A manifesto of fantasies would not give the candidate any advantage in Edo 2024. Experience over the last 12 years indicate Edos must move away from the fancy possibilities and accept our realities, even if they are low hanging fruits, it is our reality. We don’t want to see fantasies of an international airport, Gele Gele seaport or instant agricultural millionaires in Edo state. We would like a manifesto that repairs roads, security, and things of priority to Edo people.
One expects to see diaspora involvement high on campaign points for all the candidates. An entertainment village will also score high and to be fair to the major parties in Edo 2024, PDP, APC & Labour, we have good candidates with roots from humble Edo beginnings and a good level of exposure to pick from.
For the best to emerge we must put away our sentiments and start our scrutiny of the manifestos.