By Embassy Momodu
Comparatively, as important as Edo 2024 represents which is a must-win contest, APC need to toe the path of political realities not sentiment after the Benis completes its 8 years under Godwin Obaseki. It follows therefore that if a football club manager adopts a winning strategy in moment of difficulties by fielding goals scoring players that bring results against all odds, it’s only natural he maintains and improve on same to winning the next game. The manager in this context represents the party- (APC and party faithfuls) while the player represents Anamero Dekeri DANCO.
The Okpella born philanthropist and business mogul, DANCO has proven beyond reasonable doubt to the people of Edo state that he’s a man of inpecable capacity that can weather the storm come 2024 if the Edo and national APC leadership truly wants a candidate that can confront whoever the PDP, LP’s choice might be.
In terms of accessibility, DANCO is readily available to party faithfuls and leaders. He thinks more of what he can do for the Edo people rather than what he can gain from them. With his avowed open door policy of allowing the leaders and ordinary people to have their voices in decision making, DANCO stands in vantage position to represent various interest groups and return Edo back to APC era when honey and rivers flows during Adams Oshiomhole’s administration (2008 -2016).
Recent survey of the APC guber aspirants across Edo state revealed that only Anamero Dekeri possessed idiosyncratic traits commensurate to Adams Oshiomhole with penchant for delivery dividends of democracy and serving Edo people genuinely. The survey further projects DANCO as the most suitably qualified candidate for the next governor of Edo state given the present political arithmetic and opposition status of APC in the state. Since APC hoped to win the election (God’s willing) and having DANCO as the party gubernatorial flag bearer, the party will be at advantage to win the 18 LGAs with wide margins given his wide political network.
I have been inudated with calls, messages from concerned Edo people across party and socio-political groups assuring that DANCO will have their support if APC presents him, as according to them, he has been using his personal wealth to touch common man in the street, the youths, farmers, students, artisans, market women, etc through his foundation – Anamero Foundation; a non governmental organization (NGO) empowering people across diverse sectors over a decade now.
It would be recalled that when PDP wanted to usurp power from APC in 2020, they sacrificed their party structures, zoning arrangements on the alter of their collective desire to produce the next governor of the state as they embraced OBASEKI as serving governor elected through the vehicle of APC. The strategy which dislodged APC as ruling party in the state. Governor OBASEKI contested and accordingly won that race. The rest is now history. Needless to say though, PDP won courtesy of saboteurs in APC who preferred momentary enjoyment of ‘sealed envelopes’ or ‘ghana must go bags’ in exchange for priceless pride, loyalty, ecstacy, etc that comes with victory when winner emerges from one’s camp after election.
Today, as the race for the EDO 2024 braces with PDP boasting of defeating APC back to back, similar scenario presents itself yet again. It is left to be seen how a crises ridden and fragmented PDP can withstand a united, purpose driven and goal oriented APC determined to win Edo 2020. No doubt, the road may be ruff, the cloud may be stiff, but never forget that with track records of Anamero Dekeri (as APC candidate), will ‘reclaim Edo’ in 2024.