Edo 2024 and the Right of First Refusal

By Osehobo Victor Ofure

The South-South Zonal Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC, Dr. Blessing Agbomhere was perhaps in the spirit this week or heard a word or two from the ancestors when he struck this cord.

“APC will ensure that the spirit of justice, fairness and equity is considered to foster the brotherhood that has existed between the Binis, Esans and Afenmais who have continued to stand on a tripod all these years to ensure a united and peaceful state.”

He was quoted in a national newspaper as saying that,” the party will give the Esans of Edo state the right of first refusal for the party’s ticket in the 2024 Edo governorship polls barring any last minutes changes in permutations.”

Before explicating this concept of right of First refusal let me digress to dwell a bit on who are the Esan people. Wikipedia says, “The modern Esan nation is believed to have been organized during the 15th century, when citizens, mostly nobles and princess, left the neighbouring Benin Empire for the northeast; there they formed communities and kingdoms called eguares among the aboriginal peoples whom they met there[4] There are on the whole 35 established kingdoms in Esanland, including Amahor, Ebelle, Egoro, Ewohimi, Ekekhenlen, Ekpoma, Ekpon, Emu, Ewu, Ewato, Ewosa, Idoa,[5] Ifeku, Igueben, Ilushi, Inyelen, Irrua, Ogwa, Ohordua, Okalo, Okhuesan, Onogholo, Opoji, Oria, Orowa, Uromi, Udo, Ugbegun, Ugboha, Ubiaja, Urhohi, Ugun, Ujiogba, Ukhun, and Uzea”. 

Briefly put Esan people who today inhabit Edo Central Senatorial district descended from Benin.

It is an unwritten political arrangement for elective offices, this right of first refusal. It refers to an informal agreement among the three different ethnic nationalities within a state like Edo namely Benin, Afemai and Esan, to rotate the position of governor among themselves. This means that each ethnic nationality will have the opportunity to hold the position of governor in a predetermined order.

The initiators of the right of first refusal believe that it promotes unity, oneness, harmony, and cohesion in several ways:

1. Inclusivity: By ensuring that each ethnic nationality has a fair chance to hold the position of governor, the right of first refusal ensures that no ethnic group feels marginalized or excluded from political power. This promotes inclusivity and encourages all ethnic groups to actively participate in the political process.

2. Power-sharing: The right of first refusal encourages power-sharing among different ethnic nationalities. It recognizes that each group has a legitimate claim to political leadership and prevents one ethnic group from monopolizing power. This fosters a sense of fairness and equality among the different ethnic groups, promoting unity and harmony.

3. Balanced representation: By rotating the position of governor among different ethnic groups, the right of first refusal ensures that the interests and concerns of all ethnic groups are represented in governance. This helps to address any potential grievances or feelings of marginalization, and promotes a sense of belonging and unity among the diverse population.

4. Conflict prevention: In a state with multiple ethnic nationalities, political power imbalances can often lead to conflicts and tensions. The right of first refusal helps to address this issue by providing a structured and agreed-upon mechanism for power-sharing. By ensuring that each ethnic group has a turn at holding the position of governor, it reduces the likelihood of conflicts arising from perceived inequalities or marginalization.

5. Social cohesion: The right of first refusal promotes social cohesion by fostering a sense of collective ownership and shared destiny among the different ethnic groups. It emphasizes the idea that all ethnic groups are part of a larger political community and have a stake in the overall development and progress of the state. This shared sense of purpose and identity helps to strengthen social bonds and promote a harmonious coexistence.

And like Dr Agbonmere said, it is the right of the Afemai in Edo North and Benin in Edo South, both siblings of Edo Central) to aspire to contest for the governorship seat in 2024. This time around he says ” no one individual will seat in the comfort of his bedroom to impose a candidate on Edo people.”

Continuing, he said, “Edo people will choose their governor from among the aspirants, and the candidate to be chosen must have an untainted record of patriotism, sacrifice and service to community.” And Esan people have them in their numbers!