Obaseki, Edo PDP and the Widening Gulf Between
 |
Adibe Emenyonu traces the origin of the multiple crises challenging harmony in the Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, since the party won the governorship election in 2020
On November 11, 2008, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State was out of power via an appellate court judgement that ousted it’s candidate, Prof. Osariemen Osunbo which paved the way for the Action Congress (AC) as it was then, Adams Oshiomhole to emerge as the governor of Edo State.
Oshiomhole, having completed eight years as governor, anointed Godwin Obaseki as his successor. Shortly after Obaseki took reign of leadership as governor, he began to have issues with his godfather, Oshiomhole and some leaders of the party over structure and who controls the party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The differences led to the denial of 14 members-elect of the state House of Assembly in 2019 over who becomes the Speaker of the assembly and denial of the party governorship ticket by the then Oshiomhole led National Working Committee (NWC) to Obaseki for a second term.
Following this development, Obaseki ran to the PDP for rescue. The party not only obliged him the ticket, but also agreed to accommodate his deputy, Philip Shaibu as running mate.
The party echelon decided to systematically dump all the three aspirants contesting the party ticket, namely; Gideon Ikhile, Kenneth Imansuangbon and Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama after what may be regarded as sell out otherwise, in the course of negotiation, one of the aspirants would have been made Obaseki’s running mate. This however, did not happen giving the speculations that the ticket was purchased by Obaseki, his Deputy and other APC sojourners who left with him to PDP. The palm of party leaders were not just greased, but that of the aspirants also to pacify them to give up their ambition. Little wonder during that period, the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike was alleged to have abused the party leaders.”
In the build up to this arrangement, one of the senators of the party when asked why the party decided to take such rash decision without negotiation, his simple response was: “Edo PDP has been out of power for 12 years and this is the only opportunity left now for it to bounce back to power.”
With the coast cleared, the PDP won the election and Obaseki and his Deputy were sworn in.
Shortly after the victory, it began to dawn on the party leadership that they have made a grievous mistake. The early signs that they shot themselves in the foot showed when Obaseki reappointed Osarodion Ogie as Secretary to State Government (SSG) who decamped to the PDP alongside with him from APC.
The second slight was the appointment of Osaigbovo Iyoha as Chief of State (CoS), another of his acolyte from APC without considering the PDP bloc that gave him it’s governorship ticket and subsequently worked for his victory.
This triggered the hostility with Obaseki on one side, and the party, led by the National Vice Chairman, South-south, Chief Dan Orbih thus began their journey of casting disrespectful glances at each other.
The present dislike and open aspersion came to climax, when the governor publicly called for harmonisation of party positions ostensibly to accommodate those who left the APC.
By the time the party realized that it should have negotiated sharing formula for appointment into political offices with Obaseki before giving him the ticket and help him to win the election, it was too late. Yes, the party got victory at the polls but peace has eluded it because of the wide gulf between Obaseki and some key party leaders.
From that period till date, suspicion became the name of the game making Obaseki theory of harmonisation, a surreptitious move to take over the party machinery from them; and should they allow it to happen, they would have been finished political..
“This will amount to a tenant quitting his landlord”, a political commentator joked.
To first achieve his motive, the governor first used some SWC members of the party to fight back and the first target was the party state chairman, Tony Aziegbemi who was suspended from the party. Although it took the intervention of others as well the party National Vice Chairman, (South-south), Chief Dan Orbih for Aziegbemi to be recalled, the intention worked by whipping him into line.
Since then, the state party Chairman began to distance himself from Orbih and those perceived to be “recalcitrant’ in order to avoid another suspension by agreeiing to all Obaseki’s statements on the state of the party.
Although Obaseki has agreed to give some political appointments like commissioners and Special Advisers position to the ‘legacy group”, his efforts to integrate his group from APC into the PDP has continued to meet with stiff resistance.
The arguments for and against harmonisation are two fold. One is the fear that allowing new comers to take up party positions already occupied in what might be seen as harmonisation by Obaseki might deal a death blow on the old bloc as that is their only source of strength and power to challenge and call the governor to order. Besides, some political analysts have also argued that already, the party positions have been occupied before Obaseki and his followers dreamt of decamping to PDP, and as such it would be proper to allow the occupants serve out their tenure; thereafter, the new comers can now come to vie for position, adding that already, a good number of them are registered members of the party.
The second reason is that since the mistake had already been done, why not harmonize, after all, some positions were already conceded even though belated.
It was gathered that the frustration of getting his associates from APC into the executive positions occupied by the mainstream PDP, necessitated the governor’s recent outburst on Chief Orbih during a meeting with some leaders of the party in the state.
Present at the meeting were his deputy Philip Shaibu; Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA), Marcus Onobun; Senator Matthew Urhoghide; Senator Clifford Odia; Chief Tom Ikimi; Joe Edionwele and National Youth Deputy Leader of PDP, Timothy Osadolor, among others.
Obaseki said the PDP in the state was fully harmonized. He stressed that the constitution of the party pronounces him the leader of the party in the state and the position was not up for contest by anyone.
Continuing, he said: “I can’t leave PDP. I will not decamp from the PDP; we will always win any election. PDP won in the last election and we will continue to win all elections in the state and country; nothing will stop us as a party.”
The governor who further noted that the forthcoming local government election in the state will set the template for next year’s national and legislative elections, urged party members to reflect on the elections and work in unity to ensure victory in the polls.
“There is no division in Edo PDP. Let the party be open to accommodate others. PDP is democratic. The hallmark of democracy is ensuring that the majority has their way, as the minority can’t dictate to the people.
“I heard that Chief Dan Orbih went around, saying there is no harmonization in Edo PDP. This is really irresponsible to say and an insult to members of the party, as the party has truly harmonized in the state.
“PDP in Edo State is harmonized because before we made any appointment in any ward, we made sure the party at that level was harmonized. We are gathered here now as election timetable is out; harmonization has been done, appointments made and we are ready to win any election before us.”
While acknowledging that politics is not about fighting but dialogue and discussion, he urged members to collaborate and unite to move the party and state forward, noting that over 539,000 members have been registered in the ongoing e-registration exercise.
According to him, “These numbers are not fabricated as we have the data, pictures, emails and phone numbers of members of the party we have registered so far. You have broken records as this is the bastion of PDP in Nigeria. We have changed the face of politics in Nigeria.”
“Some people went around saying people should not join our party. No true party man will do that. Those that engaged in that are not true members of the party and don’t belong to Edo PDP. If not, they will not push people away from the party.”
“Our focus now is on how to engage our members, making them participate in the policy-making process of the party. We don’t need to wait for an election before we act.”
Accussing detractors who sponsor disunity in the state to stop forthwith, the governor stated, “Edo is Edo, leave Edo State alone. They have tried us in battle, and have been made to know that we are battle-ready. We have been tested and trusted. We must always win elections; we must always win as a party.”
He also urged anyone who is uncomfortable with his leadership of the party to leave.
Be that as it may, some persons have asked the rationale behind the present outburst and name calling by Governor Obaseki if according to him, the party actually recorded more than half a million new members, and has fully harmonized positions at all levels.
“It is either the governor is economical with the truth on all his claims about the state of the party in Edo State, or he is merely embarking on false information intentionally bias to divert attention from the truth”, a PDP chieftain who preferred anonymity said.
The PDP member further noted what he described as “over bearing” attitude of Obaseki trying to foist those who came with him on the party leadership to the detriment of those he met on ground because as governor, he has the instrument of propaganda when in actual fact he is the problem behind the crisis in the party.
That notwithstanding, a former Chief Whip of the Senate, and a prominent member of the PDP in Edo, Senator Roland Owie has told Obaseki and his crowd of supporters not to be carried away by the word harmonization as it is not only deceitful but unconstitutional.
Owie in a letter he wrote to the governor said “It is unfortunate that our son, Governor Obaseki, has allowed himself to be dented politically by palace jesters around him. He is educated and can read the PDP constitution. There is no provision for harmonization. The issue of APC members that came with him to PDP in Edo State is a matter that can be settled easily, without offending the party’s constitution. No leader in Edo PDP that I know, including Chief Dan Orbih, is fighting you (the governor) at all. Those fighting you (the governor) are those around you, who do not believe in you, but are only interested in their personal ambitions and urging you on to wage unnecessary war against those who gave you shelter, when others drove you into the rain. I have sought many appointments to meet with you, since after the September 19, 2020 governorship election in Edo State, but it was not possible.”
Owie went on, with a hint of sarcasm and defiance: “Our people should not think that we do not advise you. Some PDP members in Edo State are telling you that they have registered 500,000 plus new members in PDP. Remember the Anambra State APC’s registration and what happened to APC at the governorship election. Check the total votes for PDP and APC in the September 19, 2020 governorship election in Edo State. Governor Obaseki, shine your eyes.”
In furtherance to resolving the intra-party crisis, the newly elected National Chairman of the party, Senator Iyochia Ayu, visited Edo, and promised to help the state overcome its challenges before the 2023 presidential election where the state will only field candidates in the state assembly and national assembly.
Ayu who was accompanied by former governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo; and Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees (BOT), Sen. Walid Jubril; was received by Obaseki, his Deputy, Philip Shaibu; Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon. Osaigbovo Iyoha; Speaker, Edo House of Assembly, Marcus Onobun; State Chairman of the PDP, Tony Aziegbemi; Senator Matthew Urhoghide; Senator Clifford Odia; Chief Tom Ikimi and a former PDP National Women Leader, Josephine Anenih.
Speaking at the well attended welcome rally last Thursday, Ayu assured that very soon, all the issues in Edo PDP would be resolved by bringing all the leaders on negotiating table to help resolve the problem, and not to fire it more.
His words, “The party will set up a team to resolve the crisis in Edo PDP, noting that the party will ensure that the governor does not leave.
“Let no one deceive you that he (Obaseki) is leaving PDP. Nigerians will see how we will receive all those from other parties. In 2023, we shall be back in power; we have started working towards that.
“Edo people, learn from my own state, Benue. If you fight, you will lose the election. I am going to bring a team that will settle the issue in Edo.
“I have been working from behind, I am happy that the Deputy Governor, Shaibu said the truth that the leadership of the party in the state is not working. We are very close to solving the crisis in Edo.
“Once the leadership is divided you won’t get a good result. All our emphasis is on unity. We cannot talk about taking over power in 2023 if our state leadership is not on good terms.
Ayu added, “Edo is going to produce the highest number of votes in the next general elections. We shall win all the Senatorial and House of Representatives seats. I want to assure you that by next week, all the issues in Edo PDP will be resolved. All the leaders in Edo should help to resolve the problem, not to fire it more. We will engineer the process and they will conclude the process.”
The the PDP national boss gave the assurance after an emotional expression by the state deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, threatening that Obaseki will leave if his followers are not allowed in the party, an outburst some persons described as infantile.
When he had the opportunity to find the microphone, Shaibu threw caution to the wind unlike his boss Obaseki who was diplomatic while addressing the national Chairman of the party and the crowd before him.
Obaseki who was well mannered and cultured first thanked Ayu for coming with members of the National Board of Trustees (BOT) of the party, added that PDP is the party of Edo; PDP is in the DNA of Edo, and as such would not want to change party.
The Edo governor went further to praise the national Chairman as one who has what it takes to produce the next president because Nigerians are suffering from untold hardship forced on them by the APC federal government led by President Muhammadu Buhari, He further told the chairman to help the party in Edo to resolve the little leadership problem it has.
According to Obaseki, “Our chairman has what it takes to produce the next president because Nigerians are suffering too much. How can diesel be sold for over N700; you have all it takes to help us. Only PDP can rescue Nigeria from these sufferings.”
“The only issue is the small quarrel in Edo PDP; once you can solve the quarrel in Edo and other states, we will take over power in 2023,” the governor noted.
But Shaibu could not tow the same decent line of though when he began to protest what he referred to as the exclusion of new members from the party.
His speech offended many. He said, “Sir, people are saying that the governor will not leave the PDP, but he will only remain if his soldiers remain in the party”, a statement the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, took exception to and fired back particularly at Edo Deputy Governor for his unguarded utterance.
He asked the party to punish Shaibu to for threatening to leave PDP after he came begging to be accommodated in the defection arrangement.
According to him, PDP was there for Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu when both were denied ticket by the APC and the party went ahead to give them a ticket and helped them win the election. Wike expressed surprise that the Edo Deputy Governor could turn around to threaten to leave the same party.
According to him, “This is the same deputy Governor that was kneeling down to beg for us to give him umbrella, today you have the courage to threaten PDP. What a shame!
“The party was there for Governor Godwin Obaseki and Mr. Shaibu when both were denied the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for 2023 election.
“We went and made sure they won that election. Today that deputy Governor is ranting. A deputy Governor would come on national television to tell PDP the alternative.
“I have written to the National Chairman of the party if they don’t constitute a disciplinary committee against the Deputy Fovernor, I will invoke the sanctions of the party and will make sure they they discipline the deputy governor.
“The Deputy governor comes and threatens the whole party where we are the governors. Now that he has started the trouble, let him wait, we’ll make sure he never has rest.”
