Edo Gov’ship: Esan Leaders, Aspirants Close Ranks

• Esan traditional rulers, the Oba of Benin, and Edo North leaders have reached an agreement with governorship aspirants and the Esan Leaders of Thought to promote peaceful conduct during the 2024 governorship election in Edo State
• The leaders emphasized the importance of unity, harmony, and avoiding acrimony among Esan governorship aspirants
• The aspirants were encouraged to engage in dialogue, develop viable political platforms, and create a consensus list within their respective political parties

The Esan Leaders of Thought and the Esan Okpa Initiative (EOI), as well as the governorship aspirants of the political parties, have agreed to work for peaceful and harmonious conduct during the 2024 governorship election in Edo State.

This was the result of a joint meeting between the Esan traditional rulers and the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Okpolopkolo, Oba Ewuare II, and the traditional leaders of Edo North.

According to a statement issued by the EOI’s president, Matthew Egbadon, and the public relations officer (PRO), Tony Iyare, the joint meeting also received a report on the EOI’s leadership’s consultations with political and opinion leaders across Edo State.

Following extensive deliberation, the thought leaders agreed that “it is important for all governorship aspirants to commit to conduct themselves peaceably and work for the harmony and progress of all the people of Edo State.”

They also agreed that;

it is essential for Esan people to put their best foot forward in the impending governorship race.” The leaders noted that “ it is obligatory for the governorship aspirants of Esan extraction to consider  the need for unity of purpose  and ensure that all actions they undertake are devoid of acrimony, aspersions  and bad blood.

They also agreed that “in all circumstances, the overriding and collective good of Edo State will define their actions.”

As a result, the joint meeting encouraged governorship candidates to interact with one another and come up with a shorter list of candidates to run for the ticket of their respective political parties. The aspirants were also advised to engage in the defined criteria of moral uprightness, integrity, and passion for Edo State’s socio-political and economic development strategically and voluntarily.

The governorship candidates were then asked to develop viable political platforms for the upcoming governorship election.

According to the statement, the joint meeting will reconvene to receive and consider the consensus list prepared by the governorship aspirants themselves within their respective political parties, and then return to the Esan stakeholders to “unstintingly mobilise for the necessary support and buy-in of the generality of Edo people in the spirit of fairness, justice, equity, and brotherly relations among Edo people.”