Edo2024: only a homeboy can sustain Obaseki's legacies

 _By Eseosa Ewere | Benin City_

The Edo State governorship election holds in 2024, however, the storm has started to gather as to whom amongst the plethora of aspirants whose interests has been made known is eminently qualified to productively succeed Obaseki.

Whereas the Edo State Governor, by constitutional provision, hands over power to an eventual successor November 12, 2024; while we are not necessarily bordered with Obaseki handing over power, our greatest concern revolves around who succeeds Governor. 

Is he competent?, does he posses the capacity to get things done? What is his character configuration? Does he have the grassroot and organic followership to win a major election as the gubernatorial?

These and more, including his ability to sustain Obaseki's legacies, closeness with the vast majority of Edo people across the three (3) Senatorial districts and significant contributions to Obaseki's successes ranks amongst the credentials Obaseki's successor should naturally possess, amongst other attributes.

The Obaseki-led administration, no doubt will remain a major reference point when discussing infrastructure development, economic reinvention and political decency in Edo; the administration remains one with significant economic policies that now places Edo amongst potentially robust States.

How effective the next administration will be able to harness the potentials of the Obaseki-led administration will determine the fate of Edo post-Obaseki; in this regards, whoever must succeed Obaseki must be one with robust knowledge and significant chemistry with the current government and people of Edo.

This person, irrespective of where he comes from in Edo, must understand the policy direction of our government, he must be able to project the economic life of Edo from a remote location, he must be able to open up the space for popular participation, he must possess an understanding of the political economy of Edo State.

This person, while building his administration's legacies must effectively marry his with Obaseki's, to forge a progressive pathway ahead. 

Ability to encourage local content and rally industrialists and manufacturers of Edo extraction must form part of his policy direction. 

He must think Edo, he must sleep Edo, his mental configuration must revolve around Edo, he must possess that grassrootedness to rally the vast majority of Edo people to collectively build Edo; he must possess those imprints that Edo people can quickly and effortlessly align with, making it easy for our great Party, the PDP to remain in Osadebey Avenue, 2024 onward. 

The traditional institution remains key in maintaining political stability and communal harmony; the traditional institution is the bridge between the indigenous people of every society and the government; whereas the political class is constitutionally empowered to provide the regulations for daily living, the traditional institution serves as an umbrella body that provides and interpretes the parameters for ideal, ethical living.

Obaseki's successor must be one with the charismatic make-up that revolves within the political, traditional, academic and other critical institutions to unite Edo people, irrespective of race, tradition and belief, along a common developmental path.

As we look ahead 2024 in anticipation, and in our deliberate efforts to sustain and build on Obaseki's pro-people legacies, making it the grand norm for Edo's advance development, there is need to shop from amongst patriots who have exhibited greater commitment, unwavering passion, unalloyed loyalty and accelerated support, having participated in the building of a new Edo.

A homeboy whose legacies are verifiable, whose origin is traceable, whose influence cuts across the board, whose character, competence and capacity draws no doubt and whose ability to sustain Obaseki's legacies without rancour, is suitable for the job.