If the Statements credited to our “amiable” Governor and the erstwhile Chairman of APC Anselm Ojezua coupled with several threats from the coterie of their praise singers are anything to go by concerning the proposed declaration of Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu to the APC on 13th December 2019, then one wonders the kind of party men they are.
This is the first time a sitting Governor will be resistant to strengthening his own party by encouraging those that can add value to the fortunes of the party to join.
With a record of NOT having been able to attract members of other parties into the APC in the last three years of his administration, that the Governor is employing every means to frustrate the laudable event speaks volumes of his anti-party posture.
We hear that apart from mobilizing thugs from everywhere to come disrupt the event and inducing the security agencies to seal up the venue of the event, we are also hearing that even the most absurd strategy of stopping flights from coming into Benin City from 12th and 13th is being contemplated. Though absurd and sound unbelievable because the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria which manages and control all airport operations in Nigeria is a Federal Government Agency and the various airlines which are privately owned and managed, for a Governor that caused the State House of Assembly to be inaugurated at night with a minority of the elected members coupled with the several acts of illegalities, irregularities and inconceivable acts of harassment, intimidation, attacks and closure of businesses belonging to those opposed to his second term ambition thereby making people lose jobs, it follows that there is nothing he cannot do to stop the event.
However, the new leadership of the party in Edo State led by Dr. David Imuse with the support of the National leadership of the party who are committed to rescuing the party and make it strong for future elections, no effort should be spared to ensure a hitch free exercise which in sny case is a legitimate event in view of the constitutional rights to freedom of association and lawful Assembly.
Our dear Governor should not be scared as in politics it is usually the more the merrier. In contemplating to stop the event as advised by his handlers he mush realize that he might just be working against himself he is seeking for elections for which numbers are key.
One message is clear from proposed defection of the calibre of the erstwhile Gubernatorial candidate of the opposition party in Edo State it is that from all indications nearly all the centrifugal and centripetal forces that fought against each other in the 2016 and 2019 elections are uniting to confront the next elections. Who knows who will be the beneficiary or ies?
For our dear “wake and see ” Governor as he is fondly referred to, he should not act like the child who throw a stone into the market but fail to realise that his mother was inside the market.
Let reason prevail!