The Edo PDP's Returns To Winning Ways by Comrade Mike O. Enahoro
ESAN COMMUNITY DIGEST.....
The Edo PDP's Return to Winning Ways. The Signals and the Power of Transparency
by Comrade Mike O. Enahoro
The Edo PDP Umbrella may have leaked for the past twelve years but not now anymore,
under the able leadership of Rt. Hon. Dr. Tony Aziegbemi as its Chairman.
It will be an understatement to say, the PDP is returning to winning ways as promised by
the State Chairman while campaigning for the position a few months ago. What is no doubt is
that the signals are getting clearer by day...
You will recall that we did warn that, the Edo PDP will experience the worse sell out
ever and record the most embarrassing loss if it did impose a candidate on its members
during its primary for Edo 2020. I can remember that we did suggest to its leadership
that, the only way out was to ensure a very credible and most transparent primary to
enable the party to remain united to confront the battle ahead as it will affect Edo 2020.
Today I can say ahead of time that, providence and God's special Grace have helped the former leading opposition party in Edo State to manage the situation with ease.
Having fully partaken with an aspirant (Engr. Gideon Ikhine, FNSE) and his team to pray and
seek support across the eighteen (18) LGAs of Edo state, I stand to testify that, there was
God's hand in the event that brought Mr. Godwin Obaseki and Comrade Philip Shuabu as
PDP flag bearer and running mate respectively for Edo 2020.
As we journeyed across Edo North, South to the Central, we had two prayer points; that
Edo should be returned to PDP and that, our Principal Engr. Gideon Ikhine is favoured in
the end. I want to say, in that marathon prayer sessions, not less than 95% of Edo PDP
delegates all said Amen to the prayers and holistically and wholeheartedly agreed that going by God's blessings was the way to go. Personally, after the tour, I broke down for
three days. A day later, the news of Mr. Godwin Obaseki decamping to PDP was no longer
rumour only but a reality which followed with plans to adopt him as PDP flag bearer. As a human being, it's politics and interest so, I called our Principal to discuss the situation.
Engr. Gideon Ikhine said to me; "Mike, we prayed but cannot tell God how to answer our
prayers." That was all that changed the game.
While we are waiting to get the audience of the State Party leadership to establish the
exact facts on how it went about overcoming a challenge that would have set the party
backwards, it is important to say, the outcome of the events of the last few days are clear
signals that, apart from the fact that, there is the hand of God in the entire process, Edo
PDP is set to make history once again.
Yes, the signals are getting clearer by day...When there are no imposition but negotiations
and understanding, the party have naturally settled its post-primary impasse.
Apart from the fact that it is no longer going to be business as usual, the time when the
handlers of party apparatus and operations sell out at the highest levels are over...So,
going into an election with a united front is a signal being sent to the today's opposition that,
it will be better not to waste their money and hard-earned money under COVID-19 for
that matter but to keep for their future upkeeps as some of them should start nursing plans
to return back to base. Of course, most of them know they truly belong to PDP even with
their hearts except their physical bodies...
If you did not forget our warning, by way of recapping, we did note that, two major things
have caused PDP's elections in the past; the imposition of candidates and selling out by
party leaders for financial gains.
Of course, one major stuff that have placed me in the state of oblivion in the past is, how
can a leadership believe that, it will benefit more when it sold out rather than having
political power under its control? Research shown that, the class of graduation from the
university surely determines the level of reasoning. You truly cannot compare a Third Class
with a First Class materials. Most times, while the initial will consider critics as enemy,
think and talk like an 'agberos', the later will draw close the critics to tap good things, focus
on getting result and the benefits of the bigger picture. This exactly explains how, the
entire process that brought the flag bearer of PDP for Edo 2020 was carried out.
I can testify that, during the campaigns for the primary, the State Chairman was very
neutral. He related with all the aspirants with equal love and care. He gave everyone the
highest assurances of transparent and credible primary no matter the pressure. Despite
the process that brought his emergence as the party State Chairman, it was very clear that,
no plans to impose anyone on the party was being nursed. Even as the Governor was said
to decamp to PDP, he shown leadership and refused to coerce anyone to key into it. At a
time, he came out clean to tell Edo people that, Godwin Obaseki was yet to be member of
Edo PDP. And of course, when the Governor finally made up his mind and approached the
State Leadership, it was not done in the secret as the unadulterated Chairman came out to
the public and declared it so. To me, that was transparency in leadership. Again, without
much pressure, the man with the vision, Engr. Gideon Ikhine was the first to understand
that, the interest of the party was very key and should supersede the individual interest. He
decided to call for Press Briefing where he handed his campaign arsenals, Campaign Office
worth over N500m and strategists to the realigning Governor free of charge. Though was
used to negotiate a position in the South South PDP, Rt. Hon. Engr. Omoregie
Ogbeide-Ihama was next to key into the thought of the party high echelons. So, the keying
of Barr. Ken Imasuangbon to adopt Mr. Godwin Obaseki as PDP candidate for Edo 2020
sealed the deal in a seamless rancor never seen in a political maneuvering of such situation.
Yes, in some party under some leadership, there will be irreconcilable resistance to accept
the Governor into the party fold less to talk about the unanimous adoption of the Governor
as flag bearer. No wonder the Governor said on June 25, 2020 and I quote, "...to our family
members in the PDP, I will say to you, we will never forget, that when we were thrown out
into the rain by retrogressive forces, as you provided an umbrella to cover us." The above
was obviously the true reflection of the joy radiating from the heart of Mr. Godwin Obaseki
who led his followers including his Deputy to the Edo PDP fold where powers belongs to
the people. And to Comrade Philip Shuaibu, "we were thought how to fight godfatherism,
and never again shall we experience the era of such unholy and unimpressive act of
politicians in the land of Edo State again. The power must belong to the people."
It is clear from the above that, Edo PDP is set to return to winning ways by showing clear
signals through credible and transparent techniques on how its candidates now emerges.
Therefore, it will not be wrong to say, for Edo PDP, the future is bright. To those joining us,
PDP is not a party of lies and deceits but where wealth are well distributed in the interest
of the people. And to those who left the party, now that we have a new leadership with a
thinking cap, there is need to rethink and return to where power truly belong to the
people...you cannot suffer for long only to return to new line of suffering.
I remain yours,
Engr. Mike O. Enahoro
*Simply A Political Analyst And Opinionated Fellow*
Esan Community 2020
The Voice of the People
www.esancommunity.com
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