Battle for Edo Government House: Meet the candidates

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The July 14 gubernatorial election will be a landmark. The incumbent governor, Adams Oshiomhole, who is seeking re-election is being challenged by six other candidates who are trumpeting different advantages they claim will put the state on a higher footing than it is now. Edotouths presents underneath, brief profiles of the seven candidates registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC for the polls:

 ADAMS ALIYU OSHIOMHOLE (ACN)
Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole was  born on April 4, 1953  in Iyamoh, near Auchi to Alhaji Aliyu Oshiomhole of blessed memory and Alhaji Aishetu Oshiomhole. After his secondary education, Oshiomhole proceeded  to the Ruskin College, Oxford, where he majored in economics and industrial relations. He is also an alumnus of the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic  Studies, Kuru, and had received extensive training in industrial relations, trade unionism  and management locally  and internationally.

Oshiomhole

In 1969 before his tertiary education, he had taken up appointment with the Arewa Textiles Company, Kaduna. This was after the young Adams Oshiomhole had successfully persuaded the Personnel Manager of that company that he was fit to work despite his rather short height and small frame.
Adams Oshiomhole began his trade union career in 1971 in the Arewa Textiles Company. He was inspired to play an active role in the union because he was not satisfied with the quality of the union’s leadership. Oshiomhole’s other colleagues in the textile factory elected him as the union secretary after a shop-floor revolution, which he helped to organize. His tenure led to a more militant response to the challenges of defending the workers of Arewa textile Company.
Adams Oshiomhole became a full time trade organizer in 1975. As an organizer, he introduced the trade union in several industries in the northern part of Nigeria and became a terror to local and foreign employers. His expertise in industrial negotiations made his service to be of high demand even beyond the textile industry to other sectors including the Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited and manufacturing companies throughout the North. Oshiomhole rose through the ranks of the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria to become the General Secretary of the union.
As General Secretary of the Textile Union, he became a major actor and catalyst in the Nigeria Labour Congress and was elected the President of the NLC in 1999 and served for two terms before seeking the office of Governor of Edo State in 2007 on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. He was inaugurated governor of the State in November 2008 after the Court of Appeal ruled in his favour and returned him as the validly elected governor of the State.

CHARLES AIRHIAVBERE (PDP)
General Charles E. Airhiavbere (rtd.) was born on 11th October, 1954, at Ekiadolor, near Benin to late Chief Peter E. Airhiavbere and Mrs. Mary Orhue Airhiavbere (Nee Uzamere). He joined the Nigerian Army as a cadet in the Nigerian Military School and thereafter read Accountancy at Auchi Polytechnic obtaining a Higher National Diploma (Upper Class) in 1981.
He thereafter enlisted into the Nigeria Defence Academy for the Direct Short Service Course in 1981 and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Nigeria Army Finance Corps in June 1981 before proceeding to do a Masters Degree programme in Business Administration at Nigeria’s Premier University, the University of Ibadan (1987) with specialization in finance.
Airhiavbere rose through the ranks to a Major-General and Commander, Corps of Army Finance and Accounts at the Army Headquarters. In 2010 he he was posted to his Alma Mater, the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies Kuru as a faculty member before his retirement in 2011.

FRANK UKOGA (SMDP)
Born on July 21, 1969 at Igarra, Akoko Edo Local Government Council of Edo state. He started his Primary Education at St James Anglican Primary School Igarra, before proceeding to Fatima College, Ikire Ibadan. In 1977 he commenced his higher education at Ibadan Polytechnic and proceeded to UNILAG in 1978 where he read System Analysis through government scholarship.  He proceeded to Russia where he obtained his Masters in Highway and Strategic Engineering. He joined politics in 1990 and participated actively during the June 12 1993 election under the SDP. He is a business man and married with a son.

ANDREW AYEMERE IGWEMOH:
Labour Born on June 12 1962 in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, he attended Ozolua Grammar School, Ologbo and proceeded to the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), where he obtained his Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Electrical Engineering. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administration.

Edebiri

SOLOMON IYOBOSA EDEBIRI (ANPP)
Solomon Edebiri (Jp) was born in April 22nd 1962 to late David Eiremwanarue and Christiana Omosukpon Edebiri from Iguogbe in Isi Community of Uhunmwonde Local Government Area of Edo State. He obtained several educational certificates, including Diploma in Welding and Fabrication from PTI, Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from the university of Leicester in the UK,MBA from European American University and currently a PHD student of the same University.
He is the Managing Director /Chairman of Typha Cenia Nigeria Ltd and boasts of having over 500 employees spread all over the globe. Edebiri is currently the President of the West Africa Welding Federation and also the President of the Nigerian Institute of Welding. Edebiri a keen sports lover solely financed the Bendel United Football Club for four years and sponsored the Edo State Football Association League for four years. He was adopted by the Coalition of Progressive Political Parties, CNPP as its candidate.
Paul Imaguomwanrhuo Orumwense (NCP)Born on the 14th of February 1950 at Ugbogiobo in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. he had his primary Education at Catholic Primary School Ugbogiobo, between 1955 and 1961, attended St Anthony Modern School between 1962 and 1964 respectively.

Ukoga

Between 1967-1971, he attended Eghosa Grammar School and had a brief stay as a teacher at St Angela’s Primary School Benin City between 1972 and 1975. In 1975 he was admitted into the University of Alabama USA, to study Business Administration. He graduated in 1978 and was awarded Masters Degree in Public Administration. Orumwense retired as a public servant from the University of Benin Teaching Hospital February 2010 and is married with five children.
IZEVBUWA ROLAND (CPC)
He was born March 18, 1963 in Benin City, he obtained his Bachelor of Sciences in Accounting from the University of Benin in 1990. He later obtained his M.Sc in Financial Management. He has worked in several Accounting firms both within and outside the country. He was the State Secretary of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2006-2009, State Secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) 2009 before his emergence as the gubernatorial candidate of the party following the decision of the mainstream of the CPC to dissociate from the Progressive Political Parties, CPPP this year.