A
photo of the quartet of former governor lucky Igbinedion, Rtd. Hon. Phillip
Shaibu and governor Godwin Obaseki had emerged in a national daily recently
with Lucky Igbinedion being touted as the new godfather of the PDP. The rider
caught our attention and therefore considered it necessary--as they say—to put
the records straight. Recall that in those days, the prominent power brokers in the PDP
were the late Chief Tony Anenih, Late Alhaji Inu Umoru, the late Samuel
Ogbemudia and of course Sir Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion. Others included the Tom
Ikimi’s, late Bruno Oshiokpekhai and naturally Senator Victor Oyofo. Chief
Raymond Dokpesi is not really a strong party man—he is more of the media where
he is strongest.
Then
their words were law; there was no opposition and elections were settled long
before appearance on the field. Leadership had meaning. If there was any
crisis, party officials trooped to Uromi where it was resolved. And those aggrieved,
when pacified, were certain to be compensated one way or the other. There was
sanity. And you better believe this: loyalty fetched instant reward. This was how
the party was run before the baton changed hands to comrade Adams Oshiomole. The
essence of this report however is not to counter if Lucky Igbinedion deserve
being remotely mentioned as godfather at all; the essence is not to lose touch
of immutable fact that loyalty pays—and to forever keep tabs with the primitive
nature of resistant invasive forces..
Because all through the period of resurgence
of the PDP one man had remained like the rock of Gibraltar; that man remained
when Pastor Ize Iyamu crossed over with all his supporters including the likes
of Chief Joshua Ogene, Jarret Tenebe; others like Gani Audu, Abass Braimah had
long crossed; of course it is their rights; that’s the beauty of democracy; thus
what remained of the PDP after the demise of the founding fathers, and those
who defected, were a party held together
by senator Victor Kassim Oyofo.
Chief
Dan Orbih and some of his right-hand men like Hon. Pascal Ugbome had made
participation in politics dull and personalised—as though a private business.
The man who stood like a rock and maintained stronghold in Edo North is Senator
Victor Kassim Oyofo; Now that life is returning to PDP, it is unfair to begin
to set the stage for a sinister motive by singling out someone who was lost when
the rebuilding process was on. Twenty years after lucky Igbinedion first came
to power, he is at best expected to remain an elder statesman in the party. The
younger generations are here and the PDP must distance themselves from the
primitive politics of yore that crippled their fame. This is a message to
Governor Obaseki and his deputy Phillip Shaibu.
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