This appears to be an opportunity to try to convince the party leaders that they are the one to fly the flag for next year’s governorship election in Edo State. The front runners – Charles Ehigie Airhiavbere, a retired army general; former governor of the state, Senator Oserheimen Osunbor; former presidential adviser, Professor Julius Ihonvbere and the school proprietor, Mr. Ken Imhasuagbon last week, took turns to convince leaders of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who were on tour of Edo north senatorial zone to canvass support for the party’s candidate in the election, that they would deliver on the party’s manifesto if given the flag. 
The zone is considered to be the battle arena in the elections for various reasons. Number one is that the party chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, chief of staff to President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, the former chief of general staff, CGS, Admiral Mike Akhigbe and former leader of the House of Representatives, Col Tunde Akogun (rtd.) are from the zone. The party’s fortune however, experienced a down turn since Governor Adams Oshiomhole of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, assumed office in 2008. For instance, in Akoko Edo local government PDP lost the two House of Assembly seats in rerun elections held last year.    
Showing casing his achievements for the 18 months he served as governor, Osunbor told the people that the Lampese/Ekpebo-Ososo road was constructed within his first year in office while Professor Ihonvbere promised to bring in foreign investors to invest in Edo State if he becomes governor. Imansuagbon pleaded with the party to give all aspirants a level playing field in forthcoming primaries, urging them to shun any tendency of ceding the governorship ticket to a particular candidate on the basis of tribe or other sentiments. According to him “2012 is going to be a very good year for the PDP because we are heading for the seat of power. The PDP today is in the streets sharing rice to Edo People because of the hunger inflicted upon them by the ACN led government. Oshiomhole must apologise to the people.” 
Popularly referred as the ‘rice man’ Imansuagbon who left ACN to PDP in 2007, explained that his intention to share rice to Edo State people was informed by the growing spate of hunger which he said is very visible on the faces of the people.
For Ihonvbere, Edo State is a core PDP state and come 2012 the state will return to where it rightly belongs. “Let me restate the fact that Edo State is a unique and special state and the governor of the state should be that person who cares about the fortunes and future of our people.” He added that he had taken his time to go round the 18 local government areas of the state from Ologbo in the south to Ukpilla in the north and Illushi and Emunokhua in the east and Ibillo in the west. “What I have seen all over the state reflects decay, dilapidation, neglect and executive callousness regarding the needs of the people. The people have been flagrantly deceived and cheated. From bad roads to run down schools, dry taps and collapsed markets, the whole state looks more like a war ravaged area.” 
The party’s state chairman, Chief Orbih also picked holes on Oshimhole’s administration and said the regime have inflicted undue pains and sufferings on the people by increasing school fees whereas he promised free education during his campaign in 2006. He said that at the state-owned Ambrose Alli University, AAU, Ekpoma, the school fees was hiked by over 200 percent thereby depriving indigent and poor students access to education and assured that under a PDP government the school fees will be reduced. On taxes Orbih said Oshiomhole introduced high taxes, which is capable of keeping away foreign and local investors who would not want to come to a place where there is excessive taxation. The taxes, according to him, have made nonsense of salaries of Edo workers. He accused the Oshiomhole led ACN government in Edo State of lacking focus and commitment.
The tour took the party members to Akoko Edo, Etsako and Owan local government areas. The governorship election in Edo State is scheduled to hold on July 2012. 

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