Pebbles with Igbotako Nowinta –
“The masses engaged themselves in mental discipline of analyzing, reflecting and taking position and concrete steps that will help enhance their social economic status and that of their immediate families , but they met a brick wall consistently in the evil power of the godfathers”-Quoted in NOWINTA’S Conqueror of the Godfathers (page 17)
Few days ago, as I opened my information pad to listen to the news on the hour, very early about 6.00am, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in charge of Edo state was in the news.
Why was he in the news? He had recently had a meeting with political leaders and other stakeholders in Edo state concerning the forth-coming general elections slated for February 2015.
I can’t even remember the name of the state REC as I was organizing my thoughts for this piece because it has been a long time now that the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in Edo state organized any kind of meeting or workshops.
When the REC was advising politicians on the need to play the game by the rules, to tow the line of peaceful meetings, shun violence and any act that will disturb public peace, as they bring out their political cards and reshuffle towards the February 2015, something sprang up in my mind.
Something sprang up in my mind because I am not a novice to the politics of Edo state.
Firstly, I was state chairman of the National Conscience Party (NCP) when Comrade Adams Oshiomhole threw his hats into the shark-infested political ring in Edo state.
Even, my background as a veteran human rights activist and a pro-democracy campaigner cannot be faulted too.
I have equally been privileged to do a book titled- ADAMS OSHIOMHOLE: CONQUER OF THE GODFATHERS (2012).
I am taking my time to say a brief ‘thing ’ about myself because of the kind of conclusions I am going to dish out today on this column on the recent political happenings in Edo State of Nigeria.
It is no longer news that the Edo State House of Assembly, that used to be single ‘granite’ body that assisted Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to dethrone the political godfathers has painfully been fractionalized along party lines (People’s Democratic Party) (PDP) and All Progressive Congress .
It is no longer news that some key political heavy weights that stood behind Adams Oshiomhole in 2007 and again in 2011, that made him knock out the godfathers have stepped aside to the other political opposition known as the People’s Democratic Party.
In all of this , it is equally an undeniable fact that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s unprecedented popularity easily gave him an edge that made both friends and foes to flock to his train of political redemption.
It is equally not contestable that the way and manner Comrade Oshiomhole has ruled the state since November 2008, if the PDP government of eight years had done a quarter of that, many things would have been turned around by now infrastructurally, educationally , socially, economically etc.
It is no longer news too that in politics one can never satisfy everybody. I agreed that Comrade Oshiomhole is human, he has stepped on toes (powerful toes too) in Edo state, but he has chosen to forge on with or without some crop of politicians.
I think the man should just be allowed to do his job, after all that was why he was voted for in the first place.
The way some decamped politicians have been carrying themselves (those who have been with comrade Oshiomohole until recently) shows clearly that they have simply been playing politics of the stomach alone without a clear cut altruistic agenda for the masses on the streets of Edo state.
This set of politicians regrettably (some whom I have associated closely with in our progressive camp) before they joined party politics have transformed Edo state into a kind of tower of Babel (confusion). Wait a minute! Have we all forgotten where Edo state was in April 2007, have we suddenly lost it and now allow wicked sentiments, stark lies and viciously organized insincerity rule over commonsense?
For God sake, those who are decamping like flies should continue to ply their trade. After all, they don’t and will never have the interest of the masses at heart.
Despite Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s perceived shortcomings he remains a political phenomenon and icon which the likes of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Dan Orbil, Mathew Uroghide Mike Ononelemen (current works minister) of this world etc cannot put under any political table. One can go on naming them!
Have the people of Edo state forgotten governorship elections of 2007 and 2011, where the godfathers deployed everything to snatch the state? Much more disturbing was the palpable loss of confidence in the political leadership of Edo state before the April 14, 2007 general elections.
Selfish and faceless manipulators in Edo State who lacked the courage to come out into the open to fight their battles encouraged successive military and civilian governments to pillage and bastardize the state.
The destruction of Edo state was carefully planned and masterminded by evil men, men who have been in and out of government or who have tacitly been walking around the kitchens and corridors of power. We need not forget this fact!
No matter the situation such selfish sinister politicians that have decamped to the PDP, and who are causing confusion or turning Edo politics into Tower of Babel’ should not be allowed to snatch Edo state in February 2015 and during the governorship election in 2016.
The onus now rests squarely with the electorate in Edo state never to be deceived or confused by those noise-making politicians again. Adams Oshiomhole should allow the right guy to emerge in 2016 within his party.
