By DADA AYOKHAI
Contrary to public expectations, the contest for the Senate seat in the Edo South senatorial district is not going to be strictly a two-horse race, with the entrance of a third force in the fray.
The National Rescue Movement, NRM, is the latest political bride in Edo State and the party seems to be gaining traction and acceptability among the voting public, in a way that poses a serious threat to the older political parties in the state.
Particularly intriguing is one of the party’s motto, which is to nurture and promote participatory democracy in the various tiers of government. This slogan has endeared it to the grassroots.
As a sign of its resolve to test its popularity among the electorate and also slug it out with the other parties, the NRM recently conducted its senatorial primary in line with INEC’s spelt out modalities for the conduct of same by political parties.
The party primaries produced Mr. Obanor’ Imaren Augustine , a former school principal and electoral officer with the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission, EDSIEC, as the senatorial flag bearer of the party for Edo South senatorial district.
The choice of Obanor, an indigene of Uhunmode local government area and a graduate of Mathematics Education from the University of Nigeria, UNN, Nsukka, Enugu State, as the candidate of the party was unanimous and tactical.
Obanor is regarded as the face of the NRM, having played a pivotal role in the growth of the party in the senatorial district.
After his first degree at UNN, Obanor proceeded to the university of Benin where he bagged a master’s degree in public administration (MPA).
He also bagged the LL.B Hons Laws from the National Open University of Nigeria,( NOUN)
Obanor, an associate of the Chartered Institute of Mediator and Conciliators, also had the privilege of attending several professional courses, including the foremost federal government-owned institution for the training of middle and high-level manpower, the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, ASCON.
He has since embarked on an extensive tour of the district to enable him to touch base, feel their pulse and deliver his message of hope at their doorsteps.
At every port of call, he had a hectic time wading through hundreds of enthusiastic people who have diligently followed his campaign train in the hope that he represents a breath of fresh air and a radical departure from the era of bad and inept leadership and representation
