Vanishing Opposition In Edo

By Confidence Aghator, Benin

Before Governor Adams Oshiomhole assumed office on November 11th 2008, opposition party in the State was a force to reckon with. Three years down the line, the bowel of ruling Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN has become so pauperise by defectors from opposition party which analysts say has almost taken the wind out of the sale in sharing party nomination on elective positions ahead of July 14^th 2012 election and the next local government election in the State .

The situation has also made the structure of the State leadership of Peoples Democratic party, PDP to waddle in mire and dirt like a passive Observer.

In what some would describe as impressive fulfilled manifestoes reeled out during his swearing in on November 12^th 2008 shortly after the court of appeal ruling in Benin City. Moreso, the job of opposition party has become extremely difficult. Repeatedly, the axiom of redeeming the PDP is fast becoming a mirage even as a team player that dominates its rallies held in the past.

But the State Chairman of PDP, Chief Dan Orbi insists the party is on ground and the internal party have since been resolved, yet,  the counter claims by his party  that Oshiomhole government has underdeveloped the State has survived arising from the feelers in Edo North and Edo South  Senatorial districts, except for Edo Central where Chief Tony Anenih appears to be in charge going by the last April State/National Assembly and Presidential elections results declared by the Independent electoral Commission, INEC.   .

Former minister of Works (State), Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi  was reportedly approached in 2010 by some PDP leaders to contest against the governor who is seeking re-election. Ogiemwonyi was quoted as saying, ‘It will take an Angel to unseat Oshiomhole’ which may not be unconnected with the reasons why the former Special Adviser to President Obasanjo on project monitoring, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere who have been a PDP aspirant since 2007  appears to be beating retreat.

He told Journalists in the State who attempted to enquire from him why he is yet to obtain the party nomination for this year governorship election which is just  few months away, the Professor of Political Science, replied, ‘The  big Masquerades in my village does not come out first, you let those who are just coming into the party who want to be known to rush out first’.

‘We are not taking anything for granted, we know there is an incumbent. So, the strategy of politics when you are going against an incumbent is different from when you’re just trying to recycle…’ ‘We have tried the other side and we have seen what is there.

Former National Working Committee, NWC member of the PDP and former Civil Commissioner in the State, Barr. Henry Idahagbon even his at different fora before he dumped the party, has always canvassed support for Oshiomhole whom he said, has set a minimum standard of governance for whoever will govern the State after him’.

Therefore, to the PDP as a playmaker, contesting the July 14^th 2012 governorship election is to gana support for apparently after the uninterrupted 8 year tenure of ACN. But that does not mean Oshiomhole ‘ll get re-election on a platter of gold despite his so called ‘development base campaign’.

However,  ‘The PDP still remain potent’ Immediate past State Publicity Secretary of Action Congress of Nigeria, Mr.Reti Uzzi had said.

Presently, the ACN internal crises arising from the blank cheque handed down by the State House of Assembly to State to the State Independent Electoral Commission, SIEC to conduct local government election which was dissolved barely two years ago whenever fund is available is far from over has been perceived as lack of distrust by party faithful, especially Chairmanship aspirants.

The State youth leaders of the PDP, Vincent Ose-Akhere, believes that the the governor decision to allow transition committee Chairmen in the State portends danger to Democracy. Moreso, ‘I was a transition Committee Chairman in Esan North East local government area of Edo State  between May and August 2007. The lifespan of Caretaker Committee is three months, at the expiration, the tenure of may be renewed following what the House of Assembly want’.

‘But today, we have Caretaker Committee for more than two years in Edo State. The Committee Chairmen are more or less elected, wallowing on illegality. So, the earlier local government election is conducted, the  better for Oshiomhole’, he said.

However, there are fears in some quarters that the alleged intimacy between President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of his re-election  could apparently be a hard line following a sharp debate among some of his party supporters and leaders like Bisi Akande Tinubu  who endorsed him at a town hall meeting at Idia College last November.

The alleged lukewarm endorsement had triggered a strain of attack among some aggrieved members of ACN  perceived who believe their  action was a ploy  by Oshiomhole to buy time ahead of the local government election which has been suspended indefinitely by the State House of Assembly to conduct Local government election pending when funds are available. Yet, the governor may not have fall out of favour in finding a common ground to crush opposition party beyond the expectation of political watchers.

His antecedent as labour leader has not only ratified the chances of other Aspirants seeking the  most enviable  job especially among his admirers including Aspirants who cannot win Counsellorship election in their Ward to conclude, ‘An Aspirant does not really need to have an intimidating Resume to become the next governor of Edo State in July 2012. After all, it was Oshiomhole unionism as former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC that brought him to limelight. ‘If he could make it, I can make it’.

The popular believe has become a food for thought for the some self style leaders of Congress for Progress Change, CPC, which a faction is been founded by the PDP led by the embattled Chairman, Comrade Godwin Erhahon who has just been suspended by his kinsmen. The Progressive Peoples Party, PPP which does not have a State Secretariat, had fielded one Solomon Iyobosa Edebiri as its 2007 gubernatorial Candidate alongside with All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP  who failed to win a single Ward out of 192 Wards in last April 2011 general election and a faction of Labour Party, LP conspired to formed Coalition to sack Oshiomhole in next year election.

Before their plans were hatched, a parallel group believed to be working for governor Oshiomhole whose heart is close to his chest did the hatchet job  to work against the interest of one another by drumming support for the governor endorsement through hook or crook.

At a party meeting held at a prominent hotel in Benin City, last December, suspicion however fall-on on Mr. Iyobosa Edebiri as the 2012 governorship Candidate before his eventual declaration to run for the 2012 governorship Candidate  on the platform of Coalition of Progressive Peoples Party, CPPP.

While anger was flared to its fileting level, in a determine effort to stop the move, voice of Babel arose  within the CPC and the Chairman Godwin Erhahon who until his suspension doubles as the Chairman of CPPP was suspended for alleged anti party activities by some members of his executives are also accusing him of doing the bidding of the PDP.

But the South South National Vice Chairman of CPC, Mr. Abinye Alex-Hart who was said to have put up at the residence of a PDP Chieftain in Benin with a view to resolve the crises ridden State leadership of CPC to illegally reinstate the deposed Chairman of the Party, Godwin Erhahon. But he was repelled by the some aggrieved member who allegedly accused him of collecting bribe for PDP to support the Coalition.

Mr. Abinye who claimed he was sent by the National Chairman of CPC, Tony Momoh to set up a 4-man panel of enquiry to investigate and make useful recommendations in due cause.

‘I’m talking on behalf of the CPC that the Chainman still remains the Chairman. CPC is all about Coalition, we speak Coalition’, he said.

In order to put a lie to the Vice Chairman assertion, the Senatorial Leader of CPC, Francis Ikonomwan and few others who are being accused by Erhahon of allowing themselves to be use as stooges by the State governor, Adams Oshiomhole. Yet, Mr. Ikonomwan  insisted that the deposed Chairman, Godwin Erhahon to call a meeting of reconciliation if he has the charisma to do so.

It was learnt that Erhahon suspension was sponsored by the ruling party in the State whose radii had also crumbled the hegemony of the ousted State Labour Party, LP Chairman, Comrade Ebima Ogbeide  whom many believed to be one of the founding fathers of the party.

Even as a firm believer of the National Chairman, Dan Nwayanwu the three years of political unrest among loyalist  of the governor who was said to have vawed to axe. Ogbeide for fielding Candidates for the April 2011 State and National Assembly elections in Edo despite pressure to rescind.

Besides, Ogbeide faction had also accused Oshiomhole of fuelling the LP crises and for sponsoring a parallel group of LP led by Sam Omede instead of restoring confidence as a labour man.

Apparently disturbed by the continuous rattle, the parallel group of Labour led by Sam Omede believed to have cultivated a lot o support from  the governor was admitted by the National leadership of LP at an enlarged meeting which was widely publicise on both print and electronic media.

The new development has forced the former LP Chairman, Ebima Ogbeide to dump the party for the PDP.

Now that the unsettled outburst is gradually permeating into ANPP which is only known as a name of a political party, there are indications that before the end of the first tenure of Comrade Oshiomhole, the battle by PDP to join forces with the Coalition of Progressive Peoples Party, PPP is heading for the rock.

Can the Pan Beni Socio Cultural group, popularly called ‘ENUNUEDO’ which is a non political, non Religious, non partisan but purely a group to champion Beni Agenda and interest stop Oshiomhole zero tolerance to opposition party?.

The ‘ENUNUEDO’ group is  led by its (Dr.) Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, who is the defunct State military governor and Midwest as well as a PDP National leader.  Ogbemudia  because of his beliefs and Principles, he’s perceived as a major rival to Chief Tony Anenih who is the former Board of trustee, BOT Chairman of the umbrella party.

However, the devastating difficult question at the moment is the continuous unrepentant move on the governor alleged role to factionalizing the PDP struggle to reach one Sunny Uyigue through a hard line strategy began shortly after Oshiomhole assumed office as governor.

The ‘ENUNUEDO’ group has reminded electorates of the self style factional Chairman Mr Uyigue who claimed to have reached a gentleman agreement with his Political leader Ogbemudia was met to checkmate the activities of the current State Chairman, Dan Orbi who was elected by unpopular group.

In further attempt to crackdown on opposition, the National Publicity Secretary of Accord Party, AP, Samson Isibor who until he was jailed 0 months by a magistrate Court for Conspiracy, stealing and  forgery with an option of fine had been a source of concern to the ACN government in the State. Isibor incredible false alarm in criticising the government posed especially when he was on the saddle as the Chairman of coalition of Registered political parties, CRPP.

Isibor ceased the platform to get undue support from the PDP that he could not have been so ignored over his alleged verbal attacks on  governor Oshiomhole which made the charges filed against him by the State Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana pretty much easier than expected. But there remaining inside the State who believes the governor style of leadership is unprecedented compared to his austerity measures to alleviate poverty in the State many perceived before as mere a Civil service State.

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