I owe a duty to them – the above named icons – among others, who shamed our political detractors – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Edo State Chapter, that we are not as divided as they seem – truth and unity.
Those soothing words that flowed freely from the National Chairman of the ruling party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and healed all broken hearts resulting from the primary elections that sprang Mr. Godwin Obaseki up as the party’s standard-bearer for the Edo 2016 governorship election is worth the while – Balm.
Oyegun knew the PDP is petrified but to slay the ‘dragon’ completely, he called on all aspirants, party leaders, stakeholders and teeming members of “our great Party to close ranks and unite as a strong political fighting force behind the candidature of Mr. Godwin Obaseki for a landslide victory at the forthcoming Edo State governorship election”.
“The request by the aspirants”, according to Oyegun, was that the Edo State APC governorship election primaries should be transparent, free, fair and credible. This, the Party achieved creditably during the primaries. Going forward, we should avoid triumphalist actions and avoid creating new stresses within the party. We should all seek to reunify the Party to face the September 10, 2016, governorship election – this is leadership.
As if that was all, one man who displayed the calm courage borne of faith in the party that I pray every day to have, if I ever found myself in trying times is Dr. Pius Odubu – the Deputy Governor in the State of Edo. I recommend that all persons of goodwill, regardless of religion and party lining, will have him as a book and learn from his grace – it’s not easy – his action, for the opposition PDP is thumb-biting.
For example, hear this quotable quote, “Yesterday belongs to the past, and we have decided to put the past behind us. Today is another day” – Isn’t this food for thought from a great mind? In other climes, this quotation is hurriedly documented, perhaps, tweeted across the globe – gone viral – as the philosophy of an African great mind – not around here!
He wouldn’t stop there – not until he bounded himself and his die-hard followers to the Godwin Obaseki project by reaffirming his commitment to this party (APC) and to its victory at all elections and this was in the presence of “my father here and everybody here present”. Only a devout Christian, who knows that portion of the Holy writ will go to this length – “in the presence of two or three witnesses, every words shall be established” – sorry, I forgot he is also a lawyer!
Bluntly and helpfully committed to the success of the election – hear Odubu, “We will work even harder than we have ever worked, because anybody who has occupied any office like a proud father will want to leave a successor behind. We want to leave with our party (APC) remaining in government.” Isn’t this blind hatred against the PDP exhibited by the Okakuo of the Universe?
But what remaineth of me to say now, than to agree, “It’s over for PDP”! However, there is an icing on the cake – wait. Listen to this – and guess who? Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi just entered. You know him?
He took his own to the world – the marketplace – a man assembled journalists, in the form of a World Press Conference, with his supporters at his campaign office – without an empty seat said, “as a man who believes in the unity of the party, he has told his supporters that they should not leave the party because it was a house they jointly built”.
He pledged himself, after taking a short holidays, to join the Godwin Obaseki Campaign team because, his vision for Edo State is that “we should take advantage to be in alignment with the party with the government at the centre, we should, therefore, remain to have the benefit of the party at the centre and the party at the state level.” Isn’t this the spirit?
Thank you, “most-accomplished-Engineer”, for being a party man. I know APC will make it because of experience men like the former Minister – including all the party aspirants – Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, Comrade Peter Esele, Chief Blessing Aigbomhere, Prof. Amadasun Ebegue, Mr. Austin Emuan among others who have, out of great commitment shown to the world, the meaning of perseverance, character, hope and unity.
Added, you would notice, that when the fire raged-on, these men never flinched and did not react recklessly – they showed incredible restraint because it wasn’t about Comrade Adams Oshiomhole or Mr. Godwin Obaseki but, it was about the party.
Now, the party can say, that aftermath of the primaries and as we go into the campaigns and elections, we’ve seen Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Dr. Pius Odubu, Godwin Obaseki, Anselm Ojesua, the state party executives, the aspirants – with different backgrounds, working not just to restore order and support to strengthen the party, but working together to unify a party with strength and grace and wisdom.
These men, the APC-led State government – this is the party I know. And for Oshiomhole who re-called all those whose appointments were terminated for one reason or the other, I commend your spirit of leadership. And today, I see in the APC audience, men who have a mind of their own and who protested on behalf of their belief and yet, accommodated by a Governor who doubles as a Comrade with a big-heart. In this party therefore, I see impossibility’s possibility.
The task ahead, among others, is that we must keep the opposition in continual check and at all costs and do so without causing any political blow-back or inconvenience to ourselves; don’t make a mistake that might disturb our own peace of mind and then, we feign surprise when periodically the tension boils over.
The opposition knows the truth – about the APC-led government’s achievements – they’ve been true for a long time. We know it just as the PDP. The electorates, you know it. We know what Oshiomhole met on ground in 2007 and what it is today but some pretend as if there’s no context – these things we know to be true.
And if we cannot even talk about these things, if we cannot talk honestly and openly, not just in the comfort of our own circles, with those who have the “Simple Agenda” and bring a different perspective because they are in the dark-opposition, then we will never break this dangerous circle of under-development they are wont to plunge us.
Without taking too much of your time – let me say once more, that the actions of the above icons have left the PDP and its chieftains in a zombie-like haze, the one I normally describe as ‘political anxiety disorder’ – paranoia, and hallucinations, fainting and overtime – political damage.
