Former President of Trade Union Congress (TUC) Peter Esele is a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State. Correspondent OSAGIE OTABOR highlights the hurdles he must cross to become the candidate.
During the 2013 May Day celebration, Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole reflected on the challenges of succession and hinted that he would prefer to hand over to a “comrade,” rather than a typical politician.
The governor said: “I will like to handover to a comrade, if you position yourself properly. I have a right to position a comrade, market him and handover to him.
“Edo people now know the difference between a worker-governor and a businessman-governor. Don’t sit at home and wait to be called to come and take the key. This is the time to position yourself. There are politicians behind me. When I talk like this, they will not be very happy, but I don’t care. Everybody has to have his constituency. I am ready to work to hand over to a comrade.”
Many politicians were not happy when Oshiomhole made the statement. Present at the event was his deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu, one of the serious contenders for the job. Perhaps, some politicians also perceived the statement as a mere remark from a comrade-governor to members of his constituency.
Out of the 15 aspirants in the APC, Oshiomhole is alleged to be backing the ambition of the Chairman of his Economic Team, Godwin Obaseki, a financial expert.
The only labour leader in the race is the former National President of the Trade Union Congress, Comrade Peter Esele. His ambition has left many guessing whether Oshiomhole might ditch Obaseki for him as the party prepares for the primary.
The governor has made impact in the areas of infrastructural development, flood and erosion control and education.
Esele seems to have the same focus as Oshiomhole. He has listed his priorities. They cover the critical sectors, including agriculture, education and tourism. The labour activist said he is prepared for the challenge, adding that he has carried out a research on the state and he knows the solutions to its developmental problems.
Esele said: “We want to have a functional educational system to help children fit into the 21st century. My life is my canvass, which I intend to reproduce. You cannot have a government when you cannot plan. A government is driven by data, research and analysis.
“I have a degree in Mass Communication, but I have never worked with it. I worked as a tanker boy selling water before learning a skill that got me to where I am. I went to get a university degree because I was looking at the future. We live in a society where you are defined, not by your content, but by your paper qualification. I needed to have the paper qualification to face the challenges of today.
“This contest is what I prepared for. We need to have the dignity of labour. It is compulsory we have something to do to put food on our table. That is the responsibility of government. I want to create that level-playing field for people to understand that doing technical jobs is not a death sentence. I want to make everybody know that whatever they are doing is important. Of what use are the universities in Edo State to the society? There is no link between governance and research. How do we grow when there is no respect for knowledge.
“I will create an avenue for strong competition among universities in the state. I am the most well travelled aspirant in this race. Any of these universities in Edo State that did research that would affect Edo people would be given grant. I have decided to set aside N100m for that. Each of the three senatorial districts would get an all female secondary school, which only the best will attend.”
Esele said he would invest massively in agriculture, with a view to growing crops for export. He promised to make the three senatorial districts an oil-palm producing hub. “We can set up an oil palm mill. We will make agriculture attractive and create environment where people would want to farm. Any factory that want to employ over 500 persons would be given a tax holiday,” he also stated.
But, can Esele match money bags in the race? He said society is changing, adding that delegates will pick the best. In his view, delegates will not accept dictation from leaders.
The aspirant stressed: “Leaders want to go this way, delegates want to go the other way. I am in this race because I love it. I have carried out research because it makes me happy. Other aspirants should tell the people what they want to do. I will not be a governor where my Commissioner for Education cannot tell you the number of pupils in primary school. I will not be a governor where my Commissioner for Agriculture does not know the extension workers. I know what to do. I do not believe in money bag. I want to bring in new things.”
Esele hails from Ohodua, Esan South East Local Government Area. He is not showing much support for the Esan agenda, an idea being propagated to ensure somebody from Edo Central Senatorial District succeeds Oshiomhole.
Edo South leaders have, however, insisted that the district should produce the next governor. The position of the district may put paid to Esele’s ambition, owing to its voting population.
If Oshiomhole’s words in 2013 were to stand, Esele has a chance. But, between 2013 and now, it seems it’s all water under the bridge. Politics is a slippery field.
.....The Nation