As predicted last week, the Amoudu Sheriff faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elected Hon. Mathew Iduoriyekemwen as the party’s Governorship candidate for the September 10 gubernatorial poll in Edo State. A huge crowd of his supporters took him round the streets of Benin jubilating over his victory at the primaries.
Iduoriyekemwen was announced the winner of the election by the chairman of the electoral committee, Ahmed Gulak, after getting 481 votes. Gulak also explained that 677 delegates were accredited, 502 people voted, and 21 votes were invalid.
National Vice-Chairman of Sheriff’s faction, Cairo Ojougboh, said “I want to state for the benefit of Nigerians that this primary (election) today is the only authentic primary for Edo State. If you are in doubt, go to INEC and find out whether I have lied or not; I am a man of integrity and I don’t lie. I want to also state that the only chairman of PDP recognised by law in Nigeria is Ali-Modu Sheriff and his National Working Committee.”
The Amoudu Sheriff faction is clutching a court verdict which pronounced him as the authentic Acting Chairman of the PDP. While Iduoriyekemen jubilation train lasted, an FCT High Court sitting in Abuja sacked Ali Modou Sheriff as the PDP Chairman. That is a court of first instance. The judgment was based on an application brought before the court by persons pursuing the interest of the Ahmed Markarfi faction of the party. Ali Modou Sherif is going ahead to appeal the judgment, even as he has predicted that the party’s crisis if not resolved in his favour will linger till 2019 when the nation will be going for another round of general election.
From all indications, the end of the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not in sight, following yet another court pronouncement. Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the governorship candidates from the Ali Modu Sheriff’s faction. The court also ordered INEC not to receive any list from any other person regarding the Edo and Ondo governorship primaries, except Sheriff.
Justice Abang also told INEC to reject and ignore any activity including primary elections/congresses for the nomination of candidates for the gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo states, purportedly conducted on behalf of the 2nd defendant (PDP) by any other persons or group of persons other than the Sheriff group.” This judgement if sustained by the supreme court has dealt a lethal blow on Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
The implication of this latest court judgments is that the issues will continue to go in and out of court till the Supreme gives a pronouncement as to who is the authentic faction of the PDP: Makarfi-led PDP or Ali Modou Sheriff-led PDP? Only the supreme Court can give the final judgment.
A further implication of the unfolding drama in the PDP is that the electoral Act provides that political parties must submit the names of their candidates and their deputies seventy (70) days before the elections. If supreme Court gives judgment in favour of Ali Modou Sheriff, it means Iduoriyekemwen will be the party’s candidate. If the supreme court pontificates that Ahmed Markarfi is the authentic leader of the party, it then means Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is the authentic candidate of the PDP for Edo gubernatorial elections. But until then, the PDP remains one party, with two gubernatorial candidates, all of them with their army of supporters.
What implication does the unfolding war within the PDP got to do with the upcoming governorship elections in the state? It means that the election will be left for the candidates of the APC, Godwin Obaseki, UPP, Adviser Nowamagbe, APGA; Chief Osaro Onaiwu and others. Apparently, Mr. Godwin Obaseki would just have a smooth ride to power as Oshiomhole’s successor as there doesn’t appear to be any tough contender. Obaseki’s victory is as sure as time. When it is 12 o’clock you cannot stop the noon from clocking.
But instead of facing its problems, the Edo State PDP is busy diverting public attention by accusing the state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of being behind their woes. The chairman of the Edo state chapter of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih has not ceased in accusing the innocent governor for the party’s pitfall. He accused Senator Ali Modu Sheriff of working with Edo state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole to destroy Edo PDP in his reaction to the suspension order slammed on him by the Ali Modou Sheriff’s faction. Dan Orbih has since failed to win the support of Edo people in that wild accusation. Ali Modou sheriff is from Borno State and not Edo and he is up in arms against the National Secretariat of the PDP in Abuja. Is it Oshiomhole that is also responsible for that? In Ondo State, Ali Modu Sherif has won in court that his candidate will be the governorship candidate. Is that also the making of Oshiomhole? Orbih and his ilk should tell themselves the home truth. The bitter truth is that the PDP has bred crisis like a monster and that is why they lost the Presidency to a better organised opposition party.
The trouble in the PDP did not start today and my brother, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is very much aware of this fact. Chief Vincent Ogbuluafor as National Chairman of PDP worked with Tony Anenih to destroy the PDP, not only in Edo State, but nationwide. When they started their hocus-pocus party registration and chose to de-register all party loyalists close to Igbinedion and Ogbemudia simply because Governor Igbinedion refused “business as usual,” we were all de- registered and only those in the list of Chief Tony Anenih, made it to Ogbuluafor’s books at the PDP National secretariat in Abuja. That was how the duo nailed the casket of PDP in Edo and since then, the PDP has not remained the same. The Edo PDP is simply stewing in its own juice.
The Grace Group under the leadership of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu with a motto “no man is God” , which comprised all those Anenih de-registered from the party, was established to halt Anenih’s manipulation of the PDP in the State. This was also the situation in most states of the federation. So, chairman after chairman went on and on repeating the same mistake of chasing away party loyalists and bringing in strange bed fellows who did not labour for the party. This is exactly what Dan Orbih is still doing with the party in Edo without repentance. So, this is harvest time for the PDP for the seed of discord it planted many years ago. The PDP should put its house in order. When shopping for those to blame for their woes, the PDP must look inwards and stop disturbing sleeping dogs and people who know next to nothing about their madness.
Mr. Dan Owegie is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former chairman of chairmen of all 18 PDP Local Government chairmen in Edo State.
