Although many nursed fear and were apprehensive about the coming of the current Edo State governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, to the People`s Democratic Party, PDP in 2020 after he was humiliated out of the All Progressive Congress APC, yours sincerely was among the few who wanted the party which had been out of power for twelve years as of 2020 to have a shot at the seat of power with the governor using his power of incumbency. How wrong we were!
We thought sacrificing the sanctity of unity and invisibility the party had enjoyed in the state since its creation in 1998 would be worthwhile, provided we hold on tight to the keys to Osadebey Avenue government house. How very wrong we were!
One sits these days, reminiscing with nostalgia about those beautiful days when the party was genuinely united in Edo state between 1998 and 2019. One could easily conclude that we shot ourselves on our feet for allowing Governor Obaseki into the party and, of course, gifting him the 2020 gubernatorial ticket.
Today in Edo, to say the PDP has become a shadow of itself is being mindful of words because, truthfully, one should say worse considering the current pitiable situation in the party. Never mind the shenanigans they called Local Government Coucil’s elections, where we all know that even the weakest governors in Nigeria could conduct elections and “win” all the LGAs. They call it 18/18 in Edo State; it was indeed a “victory” for Obaseki.
Obaseki started by fighting all the party leaders who worked for his emergence as a second-term governor, i.e., the vast majority of those he met in the party are today his enemies. He deliberately created the crisis, fanned it, nurtured it, and has grown into conflicts that have seen many notable stalwarts leave the party unceremoniously.
Those who are yet to leave are in the middle of nowhere, as he rendered the legacy party redundant and ineffective with the leadership not knowing where they stand, let alone the followers who are one after the other jumping out of the legacy PDP stagnated ship into the musty and exasperated boat of Obaseki whose life span is limited.
The PDP has lost its steam, potency and vigour with which it had held sway at the national and state levels. Any sensible Edo politician who is worth their onions would rather voyage with the All Progressives Congress, APC or Labour Party, LP or even APGA, as the PDP under the control of Godwin Obaseki is a wreckage-prone vessel that would undoubtedly meet its waterloo within the next twelve months.
Within the last five months, we have seen notable PDP leaders abandoning the doomed ship captained by Obaseki, those who gave the party its might and valour during the 2020 gubernatorial election, likes Mr Kenneth Imasuangbon and Engr Gideon Ikhine, who were among the front runners for the PDP ticket in 2020 but later stepped down for the governor, after he “settled them with some amount of money”, (although Ikhine denied ever taking money from Obaseki), and most recently former Edo South Senator, Pharm Matthew Aisagbonriodion Urhoghide, who was replaced by one of his former aides, Senator Imasuen Neda, have all left the PDP.
Many will still leave in the coming days. Many more prominent founders of the party are leaving for Obaseki; those who had previously worked and served the party with everything in them are leaving. Obaseki is happy bringing in some unknown elements like Asuen Ighodalo to reap where he did not sow. Amazing!
There are many who, during the 2023 general elections, supported the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and others who stayed in the party and worked for the emergence of the current President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which led to PDP losing Edo state for the first time since 1999. What is worthy of note is that even during the hale days of the comrade Governor Adams Aliu Oshiomhole, today adjudged as the best Governor in Edo State ever (arguably, though), between 2008 and 2016, the PDP still won Edo state overwhelmingly.
Edo state PDP is currently congregated and membered by supporters of the Labour Party and, of course, supporters and sympathisers of Bola Tinubu. The only people with the PDP in Edo state now are those in Obaseki’s government at the state and local government levels and holding elective or appointment positions. So, it is safe to say that the PDP is dead in Edo but only awaiting burial.
We cannot take our minds back to the crisis Obaseki took the party through during the 2023 general elections primaries, from the elections of state to national delegates, as well as the litigations that followed, which saw the party losing everything, particularly losing Edo central that had hitherto been it strongest hold since 1999.
Politically, Obaseki’s sins are innumerable and trying to salvage the situation means one is ready to get buried with the party the governor has deliberately and wickedly killed. Edo people are waiting for the end of the regime of Godwin Obaseki in 2024. It is being anticipated with so much enthusiasm as children await the arrival of the Christmas Season. We can’t wait!
Deacon Darlington Okpebholo Ray is a Journalist and publisher of Truth Live News. Member Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ, Abuja), Member British Association of Journalists (London), Writes from Greenwich, South-East London, United Kingdom
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