Signals emanating from supporters of the Edo State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Anselm Ojezua and supporters of the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun are not soothing as we approach the crucial September 10 governorship poll.
The Chairman of the Edo State APC, Prince Anslem Ojezua while fielding questions to a Vanguard Reporter recently on the just concluded APC governorship primaries, stated among others that “the delegates’ register was mutilated by the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun at the behest of this same people (referring to Engineer Chris Ogiewomnyi and Barr. Ken Imasuagbon).
Commenting further, Ojezua said “this was done before people like Ogienwonyi and Imasuangbon came into the party. Yet when they shouted, the National chairman removed all those names numbering 115. The national chairman forgot that these same 115 party members voted in the primaries that brought in our current House of Assembly members including the primaries that brought in Samson Osagie and other APC candidates in the last general election.”
Some supporters of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun otherwise known as “The Oyegunarians” in their reaction to the interview described the allegation by Ojezua as “false, baseless and unfounded.” The group in a statement in Benin signed by its Secretary-General, Mr. Osazee Okundia, described Ojezua’s comments as unbridled insults, as they reminded him of the process he passed through before he became the State Chairman of APC.
What seems to be happening appears to be some undercurrents within the party, prior to the just concluded primaries that are now being blown open. But I believe that both groups need to exercise restraint and caution in their commentaries and interphase with the media and hence, members of the public. Prince Ojezua must know that as the Chairman of the party, he is the father of all APC members in Edo State. When reporters come calling after a successful primaries, he ought to have exercised prudence while fielding questions. This has nothing to do with whether his comments had merits or not, but because of the possible multiplier effects it could wreak on the party’s chances on September 10.
Irrespective of what Chief Odigie Oyegun’s role may have been before, during and after the primaries, Prince Ojezua must also know that Chief Oyegun is not just the National Chairman of the party, but an elder statesman who should not be corrected on the pages of newspapers as members of one APC family.
That said, the supporters of Chief John Oyegun, the Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Godwin Erahon, and others equally need to know that they do not have to scratch their skins the way it itches, to avoid spilling one’s blood for a disorder that can be internally corrected. Insulting or vilifying Prince Anselm Ojezua in the media was unnecessary. The resort to accusing the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of doubling as the party’s State chairman, in addition to their claim that Ojezua was incompetent amounts to taking their anger too far.
In the same light, I find the claim by Prince Anselm Ojezua that the State Chapter of the party were not carried along in the primaries as really disturbing and that ought not to have been, if what obtained in other states as claimed by Ojezua was anything to go by. I believe strongly that what is good for the goose, is equally good for the gander.
As a party man, I am aware that the responsibility to conduct the primaries rests squarely on the shoulders of the National Working Committee (NWC) currently headed by Chief John Odigie Oyegun. I equally find very disturbing and worried by Ojezua’s claim that ” In all other states and in all governorship primaries that have been conducted, forms had been sold by the state chapter of the party, in this case the NWC chose to sell the forms directly. Screening usually takes place at the states where the election is to take place, but in this case the screening took place in Abuja.” The implication of these allegations, if correct is that the state chapter executives do not have to be blamed for elections they did not conduct or have a say, as it were. But the State Executive members also owed the generality of the party men and women the responsibility of informing them of the goings-on in the party at all times. Regular and effective communication among party men and women could have averted some of the misunderstanding of issues before, during and after the primaries.
I am happy that the party has put in place a reconciliation committee, which should know that they owe all our party men and women a major duty of ensuring that all of these issues are dispassionately looked into and frayed nerves calmed as we move into the elections proper. The Loyalists of Chief John Odigie Oyegun, Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu, Party Chairman, Anselm Ojezua and other leaders of the party must close ranks in the overall interest of the state. We need unity more than ever before. I believe that with our unity, the Peoples Democratic Party would perpetually be consigned to the dustbin of history in Edo State. It is in the common interest of all APC members for its leaders to work harmoniously going forward. When we work together continuously, we would also harvest the benefits of hard work together.
Now that the primaries are over and we have a candidate in the person of Mr. Godwin Obaseki, we all owe our party the duty of returning him as the next governor of the state. Obaseki has all it takes to take Edo State to the next level. He has all it takes to continue with the building blocks put on ground by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and ultimately, it is in the interest of all Edo people who have invested their trust in the APC for us to ensure that Godwin Obaseki emerges victorious come September 10, 2016.
- Mr. Dan Owegie is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State.
