In social science, you study data collected and see if you can establish a trend with which to arrive at an inductive or deductive logical conclusion. I have adopted this research methodology to reach the view that Governor Godwin Obaseki does not have the positive emotional infrastructure that are critical for locating, generating and sustaining friendly, long- lasting relationships with people.

His emotional intelligence is suspect. Something is wrong with it. If there is no character modification, he will continue to have broken relationships with people. He wll either be dumping people or people will always part ways with hìm.

Maybe, after reading this article you will understand what I mean. So, let Edo voters be wary of Asue Ighodalo whom he has handpicked for Edo State in the forthcoming gubernatorial election of September 21, 2024. Like father, like son. Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are. To be forewarned is to be forearmed Oshiomole literally handpicked Obaseki as his successor as governor of Edo State not his sitting deputy governor Dr Egheranmwen Odubu with records as a former member of house of representatives.

Altogether, Odubu has over 12 years as a Nigerian politician. Obaseki had no political experience. No structures. Infact, he was only a stockbroker and chief executive officer of Afro invest.

Oshiomole told his surprised inner privy conclave that his choice of Obaseki was irrevocable. The oracle has spoken. No challenge, he roared.

Odubu and his loyal supporters, including principled Barr. Gentleman Amegor opposed Oshiomhole's decision.

But Oshiomhole won't tolerate their action as to him only Obaseki has the technocratic magic wand for navigating Edo State to the PromiseLand by continuing and building on his legacies.

To ensure Obaseki was drafted into politics by fiat, Oshiomhole, made him to register as an APC member.

Oshiomhole campaigned vigorously for Obaseki.

At Auchi, Oshiomhole's henchmen disrupted Odubu's Edo North campaign train creating a chaos in which a MOPOL operative accompanying Odubu ĺost an eye.

In Benin City one of Odubu's strong supporters Barr Gentleman Amegor in Egor one day had his home put under heavy siege by hoodlums sent there to stop a pro-Odubu meeting.

Add this. Odubu was at this time operating with a few aides because Oshiomhole had dismantled his office bureaucracy.

So many things happened.

Finally, Obaseki won the election of 2016 and became governor, an office Oshiomhole vowed is not even suitable for Odubu. Neither was it good for Barr Osarodion Ogie according to Oshiomhole the king maker.

Lest, I forget, a paramount monarch was indisposed to Oshiomhole's choice of Obaseki for governorship on personality and historical grounds. But Oshiomhole ignored him.

Well, a leopard does not change its spots. Few years as a governor, Obaseki fell out with Oshiomole and set out to destroy him politically.

For instance, Obaseki initiated the removal of Oshiomhole as APC national chairman. He changed the name of Edo State University, Iyamho to Edo State University, Uzairue just to spite Oshiomhole who sited the institution in Iyamho, his home town, in Uzairue Clan.

Also, Obaseki once accused Oshiomhole of breach of protocol making him declare Oshiomhole a persona non grata in Edo State!!

Barr. Henry Idahagbon was present at the far night 'enjoyment' party where Oshiomhole announced that he would anoint Obaseki, a non politician as his successor. Without any unkind feelings, Idahagbon, once a local government chairman of Egor Council and a better politician than Obaseki took it upon himself to break the cheering news to Obaseki.

Moreover, Idahagbon took unknown Obaseki around to present hìm to all the grassroots political bigwigs in Edo South. Both of them only worked together for a while before theý parted ways for good.

AfrInvest, Obaseki's company was not rich enough to fund a guber campaign. So, he discussed his challenge with a friend with close ties with the billionaire Captain Hosa Okunbo. The friend reached out to Okunbo to bankroll all of Obaseki's 2016 election expenses and also those of the 24 APC assembly so that as governor Obaseki won't have challenges of an uncooperative lawmakers.

What happened soon afterwards? Obaseki fell out with his link friend and Okunbo. In anger, Okunbo pitched his tent with Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu's governor's bid in 2020 while Obaseki had dumped APC for a PDP platform to seek re-election as governor.

At the height of the quarrel between Okunbo and Obaseki there was once an open media clash between them. Okunbo was alleged to have threatened to overrun Obaseki and Edo State with over 3000 militants from the Niger Delta at the flick of a finger.

In response, Nigerian Observer of September 9, 2020 reported that Obaseki requested the DSS, NSCDC and other relevant security agencies to invite Okunbo fòr questioning as well as unveiling of his 3000-strong army in the creeks of Niger Delta.

Prof Julius Ihonvbere worked very hard to lay a solid foundation for Obaseki's first tenure in office from 2016 to 2020. Ihonvbere was chairman of the Strategy Planning Team which drew up the 6 thematic areas of governance for the nascent Obaseki administration. It clinically followed the blueprint but Obaseki dumped it after decamping as APC governor to PDP. In 2020 while in his second tenure in office.

One day, Edo people woke up to hear Obaseki announce that governance in his second tenure is now built on twelve thematic pillars not the previous Julius Ihonvberean six thematic areas again. Obaseki was not done yet. He revoked the certificates of occupancy for old government buildings granted Prof Julius Ihonvbere and his other colleagues by former Governor Adams Aliu Oshiomole who helped him into office against great odds.

To ensure that no court will ever restore the properties Obaseki sent bulldozers at taxpayers' expense to demolish them. No ruling can therefore reconstruct them. Matters are made worse by the fact that the governor has the statutory right to revoke land occupancy documents.

All said, this physical and emotional blackmail of Ihonvbere and his colleagues was the final seal on their already buried friendship.

The mistreatment of the Ihonvberes was also extended to the Adun family of Benin kingdom.

Let us begin with Bob Izua, a senior member of the Aduns. Obaseki pulled down his ongoing shopping complex at the King's Square in Benin City, citing as an excuse a breach of town planning regulations. Oredo Park was later built partly on a portion of the land on which Bob Izua was erecting his shopping complex. Obaseki hurricane came his way because of his passive, còld, indifference to Obaseki administration. If he belonged, the government would have turned a blind eye to all Bob Izua was doing.

Years later, the Adun family/Obaseki rift deepened Obaseki's bulldozers went to Amagba çommunity and demolished Tony Adun's hotel for obstructing the right of the wateŕwàý according to government.

But the truth is that Tony Adun was in the wrong party'. Period!!

The Obaseki APC administration used him to clear the King's Square of traders in 2017 when the going was good and he was in the same party with Obasèki. Tony didn't join Obaseki to decamp from APC to PDP and he was always speaking ill of Obaseki. That is why Obaseki went after him. The gorge between them widened irreparably.

Also, John Mayaki and Taiwo Akerele equally fell apart with Obaseki. Obaseki's first chief press secretary was John Mayaki who was forced out of office because Obaseki wanted à trusted Bini godson from Edo South to occupy the seat. So John Mayaki was axed and replaced by Crusoe Osagie a quintessential survivalist who knows how to fawn to keep his job.

Taiwo Akerele was Obaseki's chief of staff without a loud, rancorous culture of joining issues with Obaseki's declared enemies. Given his posture, he was seen as one of Oshiomhole's spying agent in the corridors of power. Yet, he was doing his utmost best as a diligent, quiet staff to stabilise the Obaseki's personality deficits with cosmetic lies. For instance, when glaring, irrefutable evidence confirmed that Obaseki lacked the milk of human kindness, it was Akerele who in a press interview explained that Obaseki is full of empathy and compassion.

Well, the mind of Obaseki was already made up to part ways with Akerele. He must go!! Akerele was soon therefore relieved of his duty. Days later, Obaseki sent security operatives to his home to ransack it. No incriminating document was found. Akerele was not even at home at the time but in hiding.

How about former house of representatives member Hon Ogbeide Ihama? He was PDP front runner in the gubernatorial race in Edo State who stepped aside for Obaseki to enable him contest under the PDP platform.

Obaseki is not in good terms with him. The result? He has left the PDP for APC.

Senator Mathew Uroghide himself has decamped also to the APC from PDP because Obaseki was starving him of political oxygen. Sadly enough, Obaseki acknowledged during the celebration of Uroghide's 66th birthday in Benin that Uroghide facilitated his entry into PDP in 2020 at the height of a brewing crisis in APC when it refused to give him a ticket for a second tenure. At the occasion on August 9, 2021 Obaseki told guests that Uroghide queried him for delaying his exit from APC.

"Come over to PDP. We are waiting for you," Obaseki confessed Uroghide told him.

Urhoghide felt his gesture will be rewarded when seeking re-election to the senate. But he didn't get Obaseki's support. Mathew Iduoriyekenmwen was chosen to replace Uroghide in the senate. Soon, he was fed up with Obaseki and his new PDP manipulations. On April 13, 2024 he parted ways with them to join APC.

The likes of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu welcomed him to the party which members Obaseki was bent on punishing to disorient them for being in the opposition.

For example, he lost to Obaseki in the 2020 election. However, since then he has kept to himself and is not criticising Obaseki. But one day, Obaseki decided to revoke the certificate of occupancy for the land at Amagba on which he was engaged in commercial farming. Obaseki's action was challenged in court. End of silent, cold war.

Open legal fireworks began betweeñ Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu.

There is no need to elaborate on the case of Chief Dan Orbih the suspended PDP national vice-chairman for the South South Zone of Nigeria. He has deleted Obaseki from his register over Obaseki's serial failure to keep MOUs reached with him. Mutual distrust exist between them such that a 2023 christmas visit to Orbih at his country home in Fugar could not reconstruct.

Today, Orbih is functionally in APC but nominally in PDP. in the amphibious mode of Nyesom Wike. Obaseki an dam don share gari!! To your tent oh Israel!!!

Wike must be happy with the development. He helped Obaseki to win re-election in 2020 as his campaign director-general Then; they fell apart when Wike discovered both of them are not emotionally compatible.

Former Edo deputy governor Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu is wearing the shoe size of Wike just like Orbih to despise Obaseki. See, Shaibu is in PDP but he is working for APC without apologies to anyone.

Each passing day the camp of APC is increasing while that of PDP under Obaseki is decreasing as bigwigs part ways with Obaseki in rapidity.

Surprisingly, old party friends are also leaving Obaseki. One of them is the political warhorse Hon. Charles Idahosa. Nigerian Observer of July 16, 2019 reported that he threatened hell fire and brimstone if APC refuse to give Obaseki a second tenure. But in 2024 he is no more with Obaseki having decamped to APC fully regretting his earlier support for Obaseki.

The revered monarch of Benin Kingdom is today certainly not happy with Obaseki over his disrespect for the palace by attempting to house the recovered stolen artefacts from abroad in the state's Museum For West African Arts; as well as his trying to undermine the absolute sovereignty of the oba with the 1979 traditional rulers and chieftaincy repugnant law.

Recall that the Vice-President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osibanjo, was in Benin in 2017 for the groundbreaking ceremony of Benin Industrial And Enterprise Park. Also, during the maiden Alaghodaro Economic Summit in 2017 Buhari sent the minister of industry, Dr. Ikechukwu Enelamah, to represent him. Maximum show of solidarity for Obaseki. In return, Obaseki paid back with ingratitude. Of all the 36 state governors in Nigeria, Obaseki is the only one openly attacking the federal government with diabolical vehemence in Buhari's era.

Now he has carried over the behavior to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is returning fire in subtle ways.

In Edo State, two key allies who helped Obaseki into office for his first tenure are Barristers Emmanuel Usoh and Paul Ohonbamu. To compensate Usoh, he was appointed commissioner for wealth creation, cooperatives and employment. Usoh and Obaseki were close friends. In 2017 Obasekl took him along during a study tour to Indonesia in Asia to learn about its success story in oil palm plantation. Their visit also took them to Medan where the 101 years old Indonesia Oil Palm Research Institute is located.

The idea behind the visit is to acquire knowledge with which to revive the largely morìbund oil palm industry in the state.

Well, look around today as Obaseki talks about his achievements in the oil palm industry. No mention is made of Usoh in the public or private domain. Both have parted ways.

Barr..Paul Ohonbamu has been treated the same way. He was Obaseki's first tenure commissioner for information who publicized his activities. Also, he was among the gallant political soldiers who was fighting for Obaseki.

However, it soon dawned on him that he was working for the wrong ideological person that will even dump him later without appreciation. So, he left Obaseki. In good time. He was chastised for his action at the time. But today he is being celebrated for seeing tomorrow and the senselessness of working for Obaseki.

Where is Engr. Okojie, commissioner for roads and bridges? He was used and dumped like hot bricks.

What about Barr. Andrew Emwanta, communication commissioner also? Obaseki and Emwanta today are at daggers drawn after Obaseki discarded him ignoring his contributions to his second tenure victory. Obaseki may not regret ditching Andrew Emwanta. But surely Obaseki needs to apologize to Mr Joses Sede whose early voluntary retirement Andrew Emwanta allegedly contributed using the undercurrents of bad belle from the high-voltage transformer from the Egor axis of Edo politics.

Had Andrew Emwanta allowed Joses Sede be, Edo State would not have lost the best permanent secretary in Edo Civil Service, today.

Çhief Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, late Ikemba of Nnewi, described late Obafemi Awolowo as the best President that Nigeria never had. With my discerning biographical foresight I can authoritatively say that Joses Sede would have been the greatest head of service Edo State would ever have produced if he was allowed to survive Egorian Emwanta bad politics. It is a pity Obaseki didn't sniff this malodoròus evil politics and so he lost Joses Sede.

So far; so bad.. . All I have done with restrained details is to show that Obaseki lacks the competence, skills, knowledge emotional intelligence, camaraderie spirit and humble, accommodating, humane as well as understanding, tolerant character to govern as a team leader , manager and player. That is why the stable, peaceful and strong opposition Edo PDP he inherited in 2020 is now in disarray.

Asue Ighodalo shares Obaseki's norms and values. Therefore, Obaseki is fighting to make sure that Asue Ighodalo succeeds him as governor of Edo state by deploying subterfuge politics.

So, be wise Edo people. Asue Ighodalo is not the solution to the current problems in the state. He is another taskmaster that will continue the neo-colonial enslavement if Edo people started by Obaseki his godfather.

Senator Mathew Okpebholo holds the key to bliss in a new Edo with his social welfare policies that will reintroduce empathy and compassion in politics as well as halt the march of IMF and PDP uncaring capitalism in Edo State.