By Tony Erha
A faction of the Edo State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), loyal to the state governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, had just secured the Supreme Court’s judgement against the Legacy faction of the party, as led by Chief Dan Orbih, national vice chairman, the South-South region.
The judgement by the apex court may seem to have ended the protracted crisis in the PDP, with the statutory recognition of candidates of the governor’s faction as the authentic ones to fly the party flag in the general elections, which are a few weeks away, against the separate candidates’ feature by the other faction.
But, indications are that the case is far from being settled. Not even in the expectation of Dr. Tony Aziegbemin, state chairman of the party, who after the judgement, presumed that the matter would be resolved and unity would return to the party.
But, the centre can’t hold again for Obaseki, nor the Edo PDP. The victory is of no consequence to Obaseki as he is as good as the loser. This is in the conjecture of a “pyrrhic”, a pugilistic encounter, where the winner and loser alike left the battleground with fatal wounds. A costly victory and a costly defeat, apiece.
Chief Dan Orbih would play the spoiler’s role for an Obaseki’s dominated PDP. Anyway, the Orbih’s faction would be glued to the Gov Wike’s G5 group, which is on an irreconcilable difference with Atiku Abubakar, PDP’s presidential candidate and the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
They would endure the long wait in the flank to decimate the Obaseki’s euphoria of finally pocketing PDP so that they could take it over in the state, as Obaseki doesn’t have what it takes to retain the political party’s leadership.
“If we could endure the years of our protracted factional battle with the governor is it for another one and half a year that we can’t endure? There may be a medication that is not effective, but there is no patience that doesn’t pay”, stated Victor Amu, one of the foot soldiers of the Orbih’s group.
Indications are that the Legacy group would lurk in the corner to assist the All Progressives Congress (APC) or Labour Party, to win the presidential election in Edo, and for most of the seats for national and state other assembly seats.
Ironically, lots of water had passed the bridge of the electioneering campaign in the state. It is rather too late, in the day, for PDP to cover the grounds it had lost to the crises, with three weeks barely to the elections. PDP had been held back by the crisis and prolonged court litigation.
But, can Obaseki guarantee tangible winning for PDP in the contests, where his popularity had waned down before the voting public, for what they now call the governor’s tyrannical ruling of the state?
Aside from this, Atiku had apparently acted contrary to the nickname he is touted with… “Unifier”. For he obviously played a divisive role by being so high-handed, and his taking sides with the Obaseki’s faction, instead of uniting all the aggrieved, before today’s Supreme Court’s judgement.
Atiku should have done himself some good to resolve the crisis, knowing fully well that a festered and unresolved crisis would make him lose Edo, which is originally a PDP-ruling state. It is so obvious that Obaseki’s faction, alone can’t give Atiku the needed winning of Edo for his presidential race.
And Chief Orbih may be reluctant to rejoin Obaseki or trust him again, knowing the ignominy he had suffered all along.
APC, which had been campaigning non-stop and vigorously would win most of the NASS and state Assembly seats, where most LP’s candidates are not strong enough.
In the presidential election, APC would do far better than PDP in the state. But, don’t expect the two to win the presidency herein! Peter Obi of LP is, no doubt, the most favoured presidential candidate.
Tony Erha a renowned journalist and democracy activist penned this piece for Truth Live News. He could be reached at tonyerha@gmail.com