Wonders they say would never end. As Edo people are gearing up for next year’s governorship election, everyone knows that Edo State is an All Progressives Congress (APC) State. No two ways about that even the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP know too well that they are not wanted anywhere in the governance of the state given the dismal performance of the party when they had the opportunity to govern the state for ten solid years. Nobody would want affliction a second time.
As we begin to ruminate over the next governorship election, it is worrisome that even Goats are now claiming that they are now carnivorous. Carpenters now want the job of Doctors. Painters now want to do the job of electrical engineers. That is what appears to be playing out already. But Edo State cannot be unfortunate to have such a scenario.
All these are important as a group under the aegis of Concerned Progressives of the Edo State APC (CPEAPC), reportedly warned the National leadership of the party against fielding a candidate that will not lead the party to victory referring to our “Wake and See” Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.
The group claimed that “the APC under Governor Godwin Obaseki has made the party “so unattractive and divided,” and that “the party requires a candidate that will reconcile and unite the party members and not a candidate who has said on several occasions he does not care about the welfare of citizens”. This was credited to a statement signed the Coordinator of the faceless group, one Unknown Mrs. Jessica Imade.
This is ridiculous and wonder who is using Mrs. Jessica Imade to blow the trumpet of distractors of a performing governor. When groups like this emerge from the blues one wonders what their mission is all about. But the answers are not far-fetched. These are enemies of the state. These are a bunch of self-centered individuals that do not want the good of the state. These are people who want to have Edo State in their pockets. These are people who want to cause division in a state that is quietly enjoying the dividends of democracy to the envy of other states in the country.
But will faceless Jessica Imade and her cohorts have any impact? The answer is an absolute NO because they will not have the opportunity to execute their evil plans against Edo people. Who will say does not love what Governor Obaseki is doing in Edo State? Nobody. Edo people are in love with the developmental strides of Governor Godwin Obaseki and are determined to sink and swim with him. Edo people are determined to return him for a second term whether the devil likes it or not. Let nobody contemplate anything funny because such a contemplation will surely backfire on all those plotting the coup.
The group claims it is fighting for the soul of Edo APC so that they will not repeat the mistake we made in 2016 when Oshiomhole made Obaseki governor. Do these people love Edo people more than Governor Obaseki? This is a question they should ask themselves and answer it in their quiet places. There are some politicians who believe that all their lives are tied to government rent. If a serving Governor does not share money and contracts everyday with them and them alone, then the Governor has to go. But no state will develop in that manner. Ask the people of Imo what has been their loot for the past eight years? They should as the people of Kogi what has been their portion this past four years. The answer is blowing in the wind. But ask an average Edo man or woman in the street what is their impression of governance in Edo state this past two years of Governor Obaseki. It has been a season of transmogrification of the state from where Oshiomhole let off to a much better state. He has been constructing roads in ways that it has never happened, not minding the numerous challenges he inherited which the faceless group knows too well.
Everybody knows that Oshiomhole never made any mistake in 2016. Oshiomhole saw something good in Obaseki before anointing him as his successor and Edo people endorsed his choice because of the trust and confidence the people have for our party. Oaseki is ensuring that Edo people do not regret giving him their mandate. That explains why since assumption of office he has doggedly pursued development in the state with all vigour and determination that it deserves and Edo people are pleased with his services, that is exactly what counts.
Look are the selfish words of the group: “We will ensure that only a politician emerges as candidate of the APC so that contracts are given to Edo people and not foreigners or those carrying laptops at Osadebey Avenue.” What does Jessica Imade know about politics? Why does Jessica and her ilk think they are better politicians than Obaseki and his team? Anyone who can read in between the lines know what Mrs Jessica Imade and her co-travelers are after. They want to give the dog a bad name so that they can hang it. They want Governor Obaseki to put Edo people’s money on the table and use knife to share it among their gang! Tufiakwa! That can only happen in People Deceive People or Papa Deceive Pikin (PDP). They are free to go and join the PDP if that is their mission. Now that Jessica has made their interest known to all, Edo people should be on their look out. Edo people should know who their enemies are. We must shine our eyes as we approach 2020.
We must not allow the hawks prey on our common patrimony. The way development is happening all around the state, they are annoyed because in their coven, the agenda is simply DESTRUCTION! No more, no less. They are locusts that must not be given an inch in the state. Edo people know that it is PDP that share the money. APC must not be sharing public money like PDP. APC promised Edo people change and Governor Obaseki, his Deputy Phillip Shaibu and the entire gamut of government officials are busy delivering the change they promised Edo people and must not be distracted by political contractors. The APC will field Governor Godwin Obaseki for a second term and he will defeat any contender whether within the APC or outside the APC fair and square come 2020.
Mr. Dan Owegie is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Edo State.
