As we approach the September 10 governorship election, many citizens of Edo State are daily getting more and more convinced on the need to continue the massive development of the state. Even members of the opposing Peoples Democratic Party have been moving in droves to the All Progressives Congress (APC), with a view to joining the wining party to consolidate the APC development agenda.
The gale of defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) started in January this year when a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Chief Stephen Emuan, defected to the APC. Chief Emuan, in Ekpoma, informed his former PDP followers in Ward 3, comprising Egoro/Ukhun/Idoa and Farm Settlement communities, that he had decided to quit the PDP for APC. He told his audience, who were apparently depressed by the news of his defection, about the good companionship they had shared and how they always won Ward 3, since 1999.
Thereafter, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman in ward 11, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo state, Chief Sunday Edehor, defected to the ruling APC, Interestingly, Chief Edehor stated that his decision was based on the fact that his people has benefited immensely from the APC led government of Gov Oshiomole and he wouldn’t want his people to stone him for being ungrateful.
Edehor added that he’s been a card-carrying member of the PDP since 1998 but recently observed he and his supporters have been deceiving themselves by remaining in the party.
Not long ago, the PDP lost over 1,200 of its members to the All Progressives Congress as the chairman of Etsako Central local government of the opposition party, Sheikh Murktari llenoba, defected with the 1,200 people in Udaba ward 8 of the local government. Sheikh llenoba said his defection to APC was because he has ‘seen the light’ saying: “I was the remaining oxygen of the PDP in Etsako Central but now that I have left the party, the PDP is dead and gone in this local government.” Other prominent PDP leaders that defected to the APC alongside Sheikh llenoba include Isaac Iyerimah, Agbata Godsdey, Alice Okwuofu, Felicia Eletso Omokhoba, Peter Alumhialo Ozimah, Margarret Ilageji Ayemoba, PF Abebe and Amina Okolo.
Last Thursday was a tsunami in Egor PDP. A total of 4,536 aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party, decamped to the APC. Leader of the defectors, Mr. Promise Igbinevbo, who spoke on behalf of the others said the PDP had deceived them over the years and that the party was yet to shed its old ways in spite of attempts to rebrand it.
He said: “We are here to bury PDP today. We were deceived by some political leaders of the PDP all these years. Today, they call them new PDP but I realized that old PDP remains. I later realized that they are like the leopard which doesn’t change its skin.
“PDP leaders are conservatives. PDP leaders cry for their parochial interest alone to the detriment of their followers.” They told the APC Governorship candidate, Mr. Godwin Obaseki that in democracy, the minority will have their say while the majority will have their way. Today, the majority are having their way from the PDP to APC.”
From the various defections and the pronouncements of the defectors, the funeral ceremonies of the PDP is a signal that Edo people truly appreciates what they suffered in the hands of the party for ten years and are not prepared to risk their destinies again.
Today, Edo people are celebrating the fall of Chief Tony Anenih’s political dynasty because anyone who recalls his dark days, would rather give thanks to God almighty for giving us Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who had the guts, and people’s support to throw him out of relevance for a number of reasons.
Prior to the recent PDP primaries, the aspirants told all Edo people that whosoever wins, all of them will support him. What eventually happened to that promise? The old pussy cat still produced his preferred candidate and gave him the deputy from Uromi winy nily. The party leadership had promised free, fair contest among all the aspirants, but that was not to be. Mathew Iduoriyekemwen said he is the candidate and that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is an impostor. Before the screening which pruned the aspirants to four, the rumour mill was rife that the Uromi god father and the party leadership had settled for Ize-Iyamu. It was clear that the leaders were milking the man dry to arrive at such a decision. So, months before the primaries everyone, including those outside the party knew what the outcome would be. It was an open secret that same foul play, imposition, dictatorship, deceit, and rigging was perpetrated. That exactly was what played out.
This explains why the massive defections that the party is currently witnessing. It is obvious that the APC candidate, Mr. Godwin Obaseki will win the September 10 governorship election clean while the PDP continues to sort themselves out in court.
The PDP cannot win election in Edo State with the many lies they have been marketing. The bourgeoisie story Chief Dan Orbih raised last week that the APC Governorship candidate does not have certificate has now been their biggest albatross as Godwin Obaseki in the week found his original certificates which were kept safely in his box. Now the PDP is looking for where to hide their faces as a result of the lies they told the public.
The implication is that the public now perceive them as chronic liars, deceitful people and a party made up of national treasury looters as revealed by many PDP members returning their loot to the EFCC.
Edo people will certainly regret if they allow the PDP to manipulate their way into government. When therefore, the PDP is promising Edo people that it will not collect taxes, Edo people should know that the party is desperate to return them to Egypt and Edo people are united that affliction will not visit the state again.
Mr. Dan Owegie is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State.
