The All Progressives Congress, APC is determined to work hard with the aim of winning the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.
The contest is not going to be an easy one because the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the incumbent Governor, Godwin Obaseki are also keen on retaining the state which they currently control. To this end, the Edo election is going to be a strong battle between the duo of PDP and APC. While Obaseki is representing the PDP in the race, Osagie Ize-Iyamu is representing the APC.
Both the PDP and the APC have set up and inaugurated their campaign councils for the Edo election. Each of the teams and their members are strategizing on the best tactics to use to outsmart the other in the race to win Edo. Meanwhile, the focus of this article is to discuss top four politicians from the Niger Delta region who are also in the APC campaign council that can use their influence to help Ize-Iyamu win the Edo election. These politicians are influential in their own rights and can use their influence to campaign for the APC candidate so as to achieve victory.
(1). Senator Ovie Omo-Agege: Omo-Agege is the Deputy Senate President of Nigeria. He is from Delta State which is a neighbour to Edo State. Omo-Agege is a strong politicians in his own right. He won the Delta Central Senatorial election in 2015 when the PDP was still in power. Although, Omo-Ageg was not delared winner of te election. He went to court and challenged the result. He won the case in court. Then, he was in Labour Party. He later joined the APC. In 2019, he defied all odds to win again. Not just that, he emerged the Deputy Senate President since his new party, the APC is in power at the centre.
Omo-Agege's influence in the South South is not in doubt. He is about the highest office holder in the APC from Niger Delta region. Omo-Agege is also popular among the youths and other stakeholders in the Niger Delta region. He is close to the powers that be at the national level. He is among the 49 member campaign council set up by the APC for the Edo election. No doubt, Omo-Agege will play a big role in Ize-Iyamu's campaign. His influence in the campaign can help the APC candidate. He has loyalists and network of supporters who can work for Ize-Iyamu's success.
(2). Senator Godswill Akpabio: Akpabio was a two term Governor of Akwa Ibom State. He is currently the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs. He is a also the supervising Minister of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Akpabio is very popular and influential in the region and beyond. He is an experienced politician who knows the corners well. He was in power and influential during the reign of the PDP. Luckily for him again, he joined the APC and still got a top post.
Akpabio is a force to reckon with in the Niger Delta and he can use his influence to help Ize-Iyamu during the campaign. Akpabio has a network of loyalists and support base in the region and they can help to work for the victory of Ize-Iyamu in the Edo election.
(3). Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan: Uduaghan was a two term Governor of Delta State. He is also an experienced politician. His state share boundary with Edo State. He knows the game of the Niger Delta politics well. Uduaghan has been in politics and he held different posts even before becoming Governor.
As a member of the Ize-Iyamu campaign team, his wealth of experience and network of supporters will help the APC campaign in Edo. Uduaghan will like to deliver because this is one of the first major assignments he is given since he defected from the PDP to the APC. Maybe if he delivers well in this Edo election, he could get a top appointment at the federal level. So, he would like to use his influence to work hard for the victory of Ize-Iyamu.
(4). Chief Timipre Sylva: Sylva is another APC top shot in the Niger Delta. He is a former Governor of Bayelsa State. Sylva is also experienced in the game of politics.
Currently, he is the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources while President Muhammadu Buhari retains the main post of Minster of Petroleum Resources. That means that Sylva and Buhari work close when it comes the the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
Sylva was instrumental to the victory of the APC governorship candidate, David Lyon, in the Bayelsa State governorship election earlier this year. Although, they lost to the PDP at the Supreme Court but APC won the main election. It is believed that Sylva would still work hard for the victory of Ize-Iyamu. In fact, Sylva has even said that APC would win the Edo election. So, as a member of the APC campaign council, many Nigerians are looking up to Sylva to match action with words.
Already, Adams Oshiomhole and other top politicians are in the Ize-Iyamu's campaign team. All these people will work for the victory of the APC in the Edo election even as the PDP plans to put up a strong fight on September 19, 2020.
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