Louis Odion’s recently published article entitled “Oyegun and the Abuja disease” in which he savages Chief John Odigie-Oyegun the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is very odious, indeed. In the article, he begrudges Chief Odigie-Oyegun for downplaying the roles of Oshiomhole and former governor of Lagos state, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his emergence as APC National Chairman in 2014.
Political loyalties aside, any right thinking person would know that Mr. Odion’s account would have been unbelievable for a party like the APC formed by powerful interests and individuals. It is important to remind Mr. Odion that decisions like the appointment/election of the party chairman and other party executives require the consent of all the voting blocs or majority of them to be successful. Party politics and election usually involve negotiations and horse-trading.
This is a legitimate component of a political process, which by the way the APC solidly stands for. Chief Odigie-Oyegun emerged as National Chairman through the collective efforts of a coalition of individuals and interests within the APC fold at the time.
That is the fact and it is likely that if the same question is posed to Oshiomhole and Tinubu, their responses will not be too different. That Chief Odigie-Oyegun could not deliver his ward in either the presidential or gubernatorial election does not render him as politically ineffectual as Mr. Odion surmises.
Jonathan simply swept the South-South votes in 2015. However, after the loss of the Edo South votes in the 2015 presidential election, Chief Odigie-Oyegun immediately put his political influence to work by ensuring that the House of Assembly elections in Edo South went to the APC to prevent the possible impeachment of the then incumbent Governor Oshiomhole as threatened by the PDP at the time.
On the outcome of the Edo state governorship election of 2016, the point needs to be made that, it was demographically impossible for Chief Odigie-Oyegun to win in the polling unit (Oredo Ward 2, Unit 1 in the Government Reserved Area, Benin-City) where he voted, since he had to contend with the large families of Igbinedion and Ize- Iyamu who reside in the area. Naturally, their friends and associates voted for the PDP who had Pastor OsagieIze-Iyamu as the PDP governorship candidate.
There are reports that the PDP in collusion with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ensured that Chief Odigie-Oyegun and his wife voted in separate poling units, in a bid to neutralise APC votes in the area, while concentrating PDP votes in the polling unit where Chief Odigie- Oyegun votes.
In the larger context the plan failed. Although, Chief Odigie-Oyegun lost in his polling unit to the PDP by just 9 votes (APC-69, PDP-78), APC won in the polling unit his wife voted. In any case, Chief Odigie-Oyegun delivered in Edo South Senatorial zone including Oredo Local Government Area.
So the bottomline is that the APC National Chairman delivered his state and particularly Edo south, home to his Bini ethnic stock. Don’t forget that he convincingly won the governorship election in the state in 1991! What Chief Odigie-Oyegun brings to APC is perhaps one of the most redeeming faces of the party.
It’s an unquantifiable moral value addition. And the party is much better for that quality. One may ask, who made Chief Odigie-Oyegun one of the youngest permanent secretaries in our nation’s history after only thirteen years in service, or governor of Edo state in his first foray in politics?
Duke Edobor Oshodin, Benin-City, Edo State.
I have heard stories of pedestrian thinking in high places but I never imagined the drivel I read from Chief Odigie Oyegun’s camp being circulated in social media by way of response to a brilliant and courageous article written by Louis Odion with the entitled “Oyegun and the Abuja disease”.
Among others, Oyegun’s hireling called Oshodin wanted us to believe that his paymaster, who could not saved himself the shame in the first round of elections on March 28 (2015) as APC national chairman losing his polling unit, was the one who “pulled the strings” that ensured that APC won the second round of elections in April so as “to stop PDP lawmakers from impeaching Adams Oshiomhole as Edo governor” then.
Ha! All hail Oyegun the political physician who could not heal himself. Shameless political flyweight, Oshodin and his paymaster would not concede that Oshiomhole’s stellar performance within the context of Edo politics and the Buhari hurricane of March 28 combined to influence the pattern of voting in subsequent rounds of election.
It is called bandwagon effect. As a mark of appreciation of Oshiomhole’s performance, Edo people voted massively for APC in the local elections so much that APC won 22 to PDP’s miserable 2. How can Oyegun, who could not win his own polling unit, now say he “pulled strings” to make that happened? Consumed by the web of his poor-quality lies, Oshodin forgot that new lawmakers elected on April 11 were not sworn in until June 2015.
In Oshodin’s warped reasoning, it was as if there were no legislators with subsisting mandate on the ground as at the time elections held. (APC still had overwhelming majority in the state assembly up till May 29 2015.) Let us even assume that PDP had won majority in the local election, would that have empowered them to “quickly commence Oshiomhole’s impeachment”?
Haba, even primary school pupils are too smart to think like that! In any case, through Oshiomhole’s inspiring leadership, Action Congress of Nigerian won 20 seats in the assembly polls in 2011 to PDP’s 4 (the same election where Oyegun similarly lost his polling unit, ward, council, senatorial zone and entire Edo state even as vice presidential runningmate to Shekarau on ANPP platform). Despite PDP’s heavy financial inducement and raw intimidation between 2014 and 2015, APC under resolute Oshiomhole was able to retain 16 seats while 7 PDP members, backed with “federal might”, took over the assembly complex under police protection. I believe Odion was even too charitable to Oyegun in the same piece. Or maybe Odion is not aware that virtually all the appointment slots due to Edo State have been cornered by greedy Oyegun to his family members. I challenge him to deny this. In fact, in one sickening instance, an appointment due to Edo indigene was given to Oyegun’s in-law who does not even hail from Edo State.
What a shame!
Stephen Igbinosa, Benin City.
Odion, this article on Oyegun is my best breakfast ever. I just decided not to read it in a hurry. It aptly captures the hypocritical lives most of our southern politicians exhibit in a stupid rush to assure their northern masters of their loyalty. This even becomes more comical when they delude themselves that we do not have the memory of the recent past.
When I read Oyegun’s interview, my below-average perception of his personality dipped further. I was not surprised because he has never impressed me politically. Tom Ikimi would have done better. As the National Chairman of APC, Oyegun has not been seen to do anything about the flagrant political alienation of some parts of the country by the President. No word from him concerning the state of the nation. He watched helplessly while APC under his watch mismanaged their electoral victory. Every day, Oyegun who is the Chairman of the ruling party diminishes politically in my sight. Although I never expected much from him, he should have done better than this if his hallucinatory claim of integrity is anything to go by. Thanks for this piece. I look forward to seeing more.
Gilbert Nweke, Benin City: 08074614100
That piece on Oyegun was dismal. Oyegun is principled. You want him to kowtow to other men?
07031025925
With a party chairman with self-declared “personality and integrity” like Oyegun in office in 2019, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Chief Bola Tinubu and other genuine progressives should gird heir loins.
Elder L. O. David, Efon Alaye, Ekiti: 08059096244
Sensible politicians who know or have read you will rue the day you write their political epitaph. It will obviously be a sad irreversible final comment. A “curtains” call.
D. Birmah: 08065508355
APC should not follow PDP’s step of changing their party chairman at will after all the APC chairman has done well to remain the APC chairman. Those calling for his removal are not wishing the party well. From his assumption as APC chairman he has done well to deliver Edo, Ondo and other elections. They should allow him be because his removal might cause crisis in the party as it occurred in PDP. As 2019 is around corner let them be united to win.
Chika Nnorom: 08062887535
I hope Oyegun understands that what goes around comes around.
Ayodele Jayeolatunde
He has not learnt the lesson from the saying that never bite the hand that feeds you, no matter what. His end is very near. A real sycophant he is.
Odion Okaka
This wonderful writeup could easily pass for a parable about the Hubris inadvertently stalking ESAN progress and ultimately development. We have had seemingly emancipated sons and daughters from the legendary Air Hostess Ahabue (50’s) to the UAC magic, Abebe (60’s). However, it was the political miracle, Prof. Ambrose Alli, that actually sowed the seed, followed by yet another leader (the Esan naval chief). One very much hopes the way forward is this objective critical stance, not minding whether those in question are elderly Esans. More grease to your writing elbow!
Pius S Omole
This is a masterpiece and highly revealing. Nigerians, particularly Edolites are interested in this matter. Thank you Odion.
Odidison Omans
Oyegun’s is a political disaster to APC. A money-monger, he helped in the total destruction of our great party in Delta State. His time is up.
Nathaniel Igwubor
