Weep not for Governor Obaseki By ‘Yemi Ajala
News of the political battle for survival by the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has been at the forefornt of various news cylces for a while now. Many sociopolitical watchers and commentators have written and spoken countless opinions about the issues, pitching their tents in one or the other political camps and apportioning blames.
Since many of them are either politically exposed or tinted, their comments and opinions naturally should be taken with a pinch of salt. However, for the ordinary Nigerians, the ultimate question to ask is if any part of the battle is to make their lives better.
What are the facts of the matter? Ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman and immediate past Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomole has come a long way from his days as the number one labour leader of the country in the early days of Nigeria’s return to democracy. After completing two terms as the governor of his state, he played the god father in the ascenscion of his successor, Godwin Obaseki, politically emasculating many in the process, including a former National Vice Chairman of one of APC building blocks, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
Of course, Ize-Iyamu decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to contest the governorship election four years ago and ultimately lost to the incumbent, Godwin Obaseki. However, as Oshiomole was getting back to national prominence as the Chairman of the ruling political party, cracks in his relationship with Obaseki were already wide for outsiders to know what is happening in their house. This became more pronounced in the 2019 general elections when it was speculated in political circles that the Governor worked against the candidates favoured by the national chairman.
When the elections ended and it was time to swear in a new Edo State House of Aseembly members, that was when Act 3, Scene 1 of the political drama began. In a throwback to executive and legislative rascality of Otunba Gbenga Daniel-era in Ogun State, the governor swore in 9 members of the Assembly in the middle of the night, with one of them in his boxers and bathroom sleepers, and denying 15 elected members believed to be loyal to Adams Oshiomole the opportunity. These 9 out of 25 lawmakers, elected principal officers amongst themselves. Over a year after, they are not yet sworn in. 12 of their seats have also been declared vacant last December by the 9-member “Edo State House of Assembly”.
As the date of the 2020 Edo governorship gets closer, the actors have become more desperate. Governor Obaseki allegedly demolished the house belonging to a close associate of Oshiomole, Tony Kabaka. The National Chairman welcomed Ize-Iyamu back into the APC. The governor allegedly instigated the suspension of Oshiomole at his local ward. Oshiomole continued insisting on direct primary to win the ticket. Court removed Oshiomole at the instigations of alleged Governor Obaseki cronies. Governor Obaseki dumped APC after he was screened from getting a second term ticket, and is now in PDP.
Baring any new development, we are having a repeat of 2016 elections in Edo State, with Ize-Iyamu and Obaseki just swapping parties and godfathers, much like we’ve seen in many states across Nigeria in the recent past. Oshiomole is now backing the man he all but demonised for Obaseki, against the Obaseki he fought people for. Many politically non-aligned watchers have chosen to see Governor Obaseki as underdog in the battle and thus support him, ostensibly in their belief against the prevalence of godfathers in the Nigerian political space.
I have gone through this long explanation to pull out a point: that none of this drama is actually about the people of Edo State but the political self-interests of the players. The Oshiomole camp has not been able to sustain any claim of terrible governance against Governor Obaseki administration. The governor’s claim to innocence was lost by the undemocratic denial of 15 state constituencies representation in the governance of the state by recognising a minority Speaker of the House of Assembly and use of executive power to curtail his erstwhile party activities. He cannot claim to be born again now and start fighting the system that produced him should produce no one else.
Obaseki however will be fine. He is already a multibillionaire. If he loses in the general election, he can never be poor. If he gets the second term, it is not as if he has done anything to radically change the lives of Edo State people that will be missed. If Ize-Iyamu becomes the new governor of Edo State, there will be no radical change to the lives of Edo State people for the better. If he loses, he will also be fine as he is never going to be poor.
The Nigerian political class is skilled in making their squabbles for power look like a titanic battle for the wefare of the masses when by and large, there is little differences. Most of their actions are basically attempts at power grab using their favourite tools of poverty, religion and ethnicity.
Weep not for Governor Godwin Obaseki. Weep not for Oshiomole. Weep not for Ize-Iyamu. Weep instead for the mothers whose children will lose their lives following these politicians. Weep for the civil servants caught in the crossfire of this useless political battle. Weep for the unfortunate casualty of every Nigerian political drama: good governance and the welfare of the Nigerian people.
Multimendia Journalist and writer, ‘Yemi Ajala writes from Abeokuta.
