#EdoNoBeLagos, Ambode, Tinubu, other Twitter trends during #EdoDecides2020

The social media, particularly Twitter, has been agog since the results of the Edo State governorship election started coming in.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Godwin Obaseki, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defeated Osagie Ize-Iyamu, his major challenger and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

While Mr Obaseki polled a total of 307,955 votes to secure his second mandate as the governor of Edo State, Mr Ize-Iyamu scored 223,619 votes.

While the election was ongoing, especially when the results were being announced, some major names and slangs became popular (trended) on Twitter due to issues relating to the election.

In this report, PREMIUM TIMES reviews some major hashtags that became Twitter trends during the election.

#EdoDecides2020

The above hashtag trended because of the election activities that took place in the 18 local governments areas of Edo State.

Millions of Nigerians used the hashtag to share news about the election. Variants of the hashtag such as #EdoDecides also trended during the election.

Major newspapers, civil society organizations (CSOs), police, local and international observers, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also used the hashtag to share news about the election.

#EdoNoBeLagos

Just like ‘O to gee’ was used to humiliate the former senate president, Bukola Saraki, in 2019 in Kwara State, #EdoNoBeLagos is an anti-Bola Tinubu movement used by many opposed to the former Lagos governor.

The slang was used to show that Mr Tinubu, the national leader of the APC, has little or no influence in the determination of who becomes the governor of Edo State. Other variants like #EdoNorBeLagos and #EdoNotLagos were also used.

The angst against Mr Tinubu in Edo was probably made worse after the video he did last week where he called on Edo electorates to vote against Mr Obaseki and vote for Mr Ize-Iyamu. For many, that was an indication that he wanted Edo to be a “subdued territory” like Lagos State.

#Tinubu

For many commentators, Mr Tinubu appeared arrogant in his video where he described himself as the leader of all democrats regardless of their political parties.

Mr Tinubu has been the most influential politician in Lagos for about 20 years since he was first elected governor in 1999. He is also believed to have handpicked all his successors as Lagos governor after he left office in 2007.

ALSO READ: Obaseki’s victory has several implications – Saraki

Mr Tinubu’s video showed that he put all he had into the ring in Edo, which probably explains why he was referenced by thousands of Twitter users.

#Oshiomhole

In the last three months, Mr Oshiomhole has suffered at least two major political losses. He had a long battle with Mr Obaseki which cost him his position as the national chairman of the APC.

He was also seen as the major ‘godfather’ behind Mr Ize-Iyamu. Like he supported Mr Obaseki in 2016, he thought he could win the election for APC.

Mr Oshiomhole served two terms as Edo governor and was instrumental to Mr Obaseki’s first election as governor. Both men later fell out with Mr Oshiomhole fully backing Mr Ize-Iyamu in the latest Edo governorship election.

#Ambode

Many social media commentators remembered how a former governor of Lagos, Akinwunmi Ambode, was denied the APC ticket to seek a second term as Lagos governor by Mr Tinubu and his loyalists.

A lot of observers believe Mr Oshiomhole tried to do to Mr Obaseki what Mr Tinubu did to Mr Ambode. Unlike Mr Ambode, however, Mr Obaseki defected to the PDP after he was denied the APC ticket. He won his re-election on the PDP platform.

The Ambode hashtag trended on Twitter on Sunday mainly because commentators referenced the former Lagos governor with some saying they wished he had challenged Mr Tinubu in 2019 like Mr Obaseki did to Mr Oshiomhole.

Wike:

Nyesom Wike has been one of the most controversial politicians in Nigeria in recent time.

He led the PDP campaign in Edo and was seen as a major backer of Mr Obaseki. His support for Mr Obaseki and his role in the PDP victory was the reason he trended on Sunday.