On Wednesday this week, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Adams Oshiom-hole, will be the star attraction in Benin City, Edo State. This is not because of any mobilisation rally of workers against the planned retrenchment programme of the Obasanjo administration. Neither is it because of any attempt by the NLC leadership to make Nigerians sit at home in protest against yet another fuel price hike. Nor is it because of any Labour-organised mass action in yet another protest against yet another anti-people policy of government. Oshiomhole will be the star attraction for a totally different reason. He will formally be declaring his candidature for the governorship seat of Edo State after several months of consultations. Expected at the ceremony are Oshiomhole’s comrades in the struggles of the past seven years, who would be joining him to launch the Labour Party, members of the civil rights/pro-democracy movements, the national media and the other stakeholders in the uneasy quest for good governance since the nation’s return to democracy in 1999. Of course, those who have colonised Edo State in the past seven years would not possibly turn their backs to the planned event at Urhokpota Hall at Ring Road, venue of the declaration.

In a letter to friends, associates and well-wishers, Oshiomhole gave an insight into the reasons propelling his ambition, and the kind of government he intends to run should he succeed at the polls. “My decision to seek election as governor of Edo State in 2007,” he wrote, “derives from my conviction that I could utilize my capacity, experience and vision towards giving competent, transformational, people-driven and people-centred leadership to our state. I am convinced that we can collectively transform the state under my stewardship through our accustomed participatory style, creative use of public policy tools and harnessing the resourcefulness of Edo people.”
“My involvement in public stewardship,” he added, “and in the struggle for social justice, public welfare, good governance and democracy has nurtured in me leadership qualities and commitment to serve the people. These qualities and experience will empower me to deal with the complex and multi-faceted challenges of governance in Edo State, if given the mandate.”

Indeed there is no doubt that Oshiomhole has the vision and the capacity and the experience to give Edo State a focused leadership. Unlike many of the characters aspiring to be governors across the 36 states or even those aspiring to be president, Oshiomhole comes with an impeccable pedigree.  Oshiomhole’s leadership qualities are evident in his understanding of public policy issues, his uncommon courage and common touch, his oratory and intellectual rigour, and his transformation of the NLC into an effectively formidable national movement. In the last seven years, he has shown these qualities over and over again during the NLC-organised mass protests and sit at home and strikes and long walks.  In leading workers against unpopular policies of government, Oshiomhole understood how and when to walk the tight rope of engagement and confrontation without losing the respect of both the governors and the governed. At a time when Labour was more or less the only opposition movement, Oshiomhole was pragmatic enough to know that opposition political parties could hijack the NLC struggles; he knew where to draw the line without alienating the opposition parties. In the process, he became an idol of popular imagination, revered and celebrated by the generality of the people. Any other politician with Oshiomhole’s national appeal would have felt the Edo governorship beneath his ego where the presidency is, particularly when there were calls on the NLC leader to join the presidential race. In realising that Nigeria’s presidential contest is, unlike NLC’s people-centred politics, a cloak and dagger affair, Oshiomhole has surmounted the first challenge. If he becomes the governor of Edo State, as he could, and if he is able to show the nation that the State can be differently and better managed, as he should, Oshiomhole may then begin to eye a higher office.

There is no doubt, however, that win or lose, Oshiomhole is bound to change the tenor and character of Edo politics. Having resisted the temptation to join the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or any of the other established parties, Oshiomhole has surmounted another challenge. The real challenge, after Wednesday’s formal declaration, is what Oshiomhole has to do, indeed needs to do, to defeat the candidates of all other parties, particularly that of the PDP. It cannot be by accident that Oshiomhole is contesting the governorship seat of a state whose politics is owned and controlled by a cabal of rich and powerful politicians. Elections here are won, as in most states of the federation, not through popular votes, but by getting the anointing of the cabal. It is unlikely that the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, who is not called ‘The Leader’ for the fun of it, would stand by and allow a state he single-handedly delivered to the PDP in 1999 and in 2003, be taken over by a Labour Party. It is unlikely still that the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, who is father to the incumbent governor, would stand aside and allow somebody as brilliant as Oshiomole succeed his son, who it was said, he begged to be allowed to ‘repeat class’ in 2003, having accepted that the governor failed in his first term. It is still far more unlikely that Governor Lucky Igbinedion who had long promised to personally decide his successor would stand by and allow Oshiomhole expose why he is such a pathetically poor student who could not pass even after he has been allowed to ‘repeat class’. The challenge before Oshiomhole is to take Edo State from these men of power without scruples, men who believe money is the beginning and end of electoral victory. With the plague in Edo State in the name of governance, Oshiomhole appears to have won the first battle before firing a shot. All he needs to do is let the people know why they have to resist, with every ounce of their energy, the PDP candidate, who would almost likely be anointed by the cabal, and therefore a definite failure. From there what is needed is for the other parties to pool resources behind Oshiomhole. On their own their candidates would not possibly stand any chance against the PDP’s. But they can take advantage of Oshiomole’s popular appeal to liberate Edo State and demystify people like Anenih. With that done all that would be required is to fall back on Labour’s well-tested skills of organisation, mobilisation, courage and vigilance, particularly in ensuring that the people’s votes are not manipulated. Oshiomhole’s experience in the last seven years should come in handy here.

All progressive forces should join forces to ensure that Oshiomhole becomes the next governor of Edo State. For his victory would be a signal to many others like him that it is possible for people who are service-driven but have no money nor private army nor godfathers to contest and win elections fairly and squarely. His victory would be a first step in taking our democratic journey to the next level. . Oshiomhole has a tough battle ahead. It is a battle he can win. It is a battle he must win. It is a battle all those who are tired of the many criminals clouding the nation’s political space must help him win. That is his challenge. That is our challenge.