ESAN, STOP ATTACKING ASUE OR MONDAY: EITHER IS OKAY!

On a serious note, I wish to write here and hope it gets to every Esan man and Esan group in Nigeria and abroad - stop attacking Asue Ighodaro or Monday Okpebholo. Either of them is a quality option to actualize the much desired Edo Governor of Esan extraction.

I want to suggest , and advise, that going forward, let's realise that whoever becomes Edo Governor in November would be decided, to more significant extent, by voters outside Edo Central District that would definitely be divided between Monday and Asue. The battlefields would be Edo South and Edo North and Esan people ought to, more than anytime else, court their favour, not their disenchantment.

So why the face offs within Esan forums? Like a storm in a tea cup. Stop it! Asuelime, a brilliant lawyer, management expert and orator is an asset to Esanland, to Edo State. So also is Monday Okpebholo, a Senator of the FederalRepublic and community developer.

Let's be thankful that the two candidates of the two major parties are Esan. Let's also be concerned, if not alarmed, that the Labour Party is fielding a candidate who isnt a push over in politics or strategy, and who's a proven election winner over the years having won very dicey NBA election even over the traditional SANs, a non SAN himself. Let us not take for granted the kindness of the Edo North and the Edo South for ceding this opportunity to Edo Central this time. And, let's not push them to regret or review, by our needless internal squabbles by denigrating either of our both legs put forward to the Edo electorate. Let's be wiser.

What should we do instead?

Rather than attack one another, let's cultivate the political diplomacy of accepting either of the candidates from Esan as viable; support the one you prefer by selling their qualities but *don't attack or denigrate the other one you do not prefer*. That way you helping Esan get the access to power, because if you on Monday's side demonised Asue, and another one on Asue's side demonised Monday, you both advertently or inadvertently leave the battleground voters in Edo North and in Edo South to shift allegiance elsewhere, which would leave the whole District lose out from power for at least another 32 years when I would be about 80 years old - God forbid!

Let's wake up and wise up.

Either candidates have excellent qualities, and would make a fantastic Governor, that's why their various parties selected them above all other options, Let's not disqualify them before the people. Politics isn't about lying against one by another to win election, its about promoting your candidates, her or his manifestos, and your party responsibly, within the confines of the law, decency and regulations.

May God rain political high sense on Esanland and save us from the spirit of _"Gima Vale Kwa"_ - Amen.

SME