PATRICK AHANOR reports that the ominous cloud gathering over the controversial membership registration and congresses of Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC) is threatening the very foundation of the state’s ruling party
Believe, like a reputation is difficult to gain, but remarkably easy to lose. And for Edo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), its reputation and integrity of upholding democratic tenets are being brought into questioning following the party’s controversial membership registration and congresses.
The exercise meant to increase the numerical strength of the party and elect officials in order to deepen its manifesto at various levels of governance, has ultimately brought anger and rancor to the supposedly ‘one big family’.
Apart from the accusations and counter accusations bedeviling the party, the APC has been factionalized along the line of who succeeds Governor Adams Oshiomhole when his tenure expires in 2016.
Although three candidate including former national vice chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) who was also the Director General of Oshiomhole’s Campaign organization in 2012, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, incumbent deputy governor of the state, Barrister Pius Odubu and the state commissioner for works, Barrister Osarodion Ogie are reported to be eyeing Dennis Osadebey Avenue- the seat of power. It was gathered that the duos of Odubu and Ogie reportedly harmonized in order to break the clergy’s tight grip on the party’s structure.
Beside the Odubu/Ogie Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Governor Oshiomhole was also reported not to be keen on handing over the mantle of leadership to his erstwhile campaign manager even though he is yet to make up his mind on the duo.
Be that as it may, the congresses outcome was not befitting of an acclaimed progressive party; as widespread alleged irregularities and intimidation became the hallmark of the process- a development that left Ize-Iyamu and his loyalists in the cold.
To underscore Ize-Iyamu’s protest, Oshiomhole announced the annulment of the congress in some crisis-parts of the state during the exercise.
“I received reports that electoral officials either did not turn up for the exercise or turned up without membership registers and result sheets. And the absence of the membership registers and result sheets rendered the exercise a nullity as it cast doubts on the integrity of the process.
“All of these have cast serious doubt on the integrity of the entire process. There were also reports of situations whereby unfair tactics were used to scare people away. We have listened to complaints from all the local governments in Edo South and it is clear that what was done was not absolutely satisfactory.
“As a progressive party that is desirous of change, the APC cannot afford to act like the reactionary and conservative political parties”, Oshiomhole had said while announcing the annulment.
Though the rescheduled congress was held as announced, its outcome nevertheless could not appease the pastor’s camp who accordingly demanded for the annulment of the party’s membership registration exercise and the entire congress, a demand the interim spokesperson for the party, Comrade
Godwin Erhahon described as “false claims.”
“We challenge Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu to speak as a man of God that he claims to be. The truth is that it is the Ize-Iyamu group that wants the governor to manipulate for them by stopping any other person, particularly the deputy governor, from aspiring to the governorship seat in 2016,” Erhahon added.
Spokesperson for the aggrieved group and pioneering chairman of the defunct ACN, Prince Tony Omoaghe in a communiqué issued after an emergency meeting in Benin City, therefore issued a 7-day ultimatum to the comrade governor to relinquish his monopoly of the party, adding, “this will pave way for an inclusive political system which respects the sanctity of democracy; devoid of deliberate sponsorship of rancor and factionalization.”
As the political logjams linger, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which had watched haplessly the surging grip of the APC in Edo state politics, lashed on the political discord to woo aggrieved members to its side.
This followed a recent visit of the APC splinter group (mainly of former PDP members) to the presidency in Abuja; during which a pact was allegedly reached.
A competent source who attended the meeting in the presidential villa, listed those that attended the meeting to include: Edo state PDP chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, Minister of Works, Mike Onolemenmen, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, vice chairman of the APC (Edo South), Chief Amos Osunbor and representative of Etsako Federal constituency, Hon. Abubakar Momoh.
Others are: Edo North leader of APC, Alhaji Usman Shagadi, five state lawmakers of the party and other key stakeholders.
Further investigation revealed that the sum of $1million allegedly daggled at the group for their ‘flight ticket’ and an assurance from the presidency that they would be given a level playing field in the PDP were all that was required to compound the woes of the progressives in Edo.
“Despite the $1m dollar supposedly handed to them for the flight tickets, the faction was airlifted with a presidential jet to Benin City,” a source stated.
In an apparent move to consolidate the Abuja pact, the group promptly convened an emergency meeting less than 72 hours after the trip during which they announced their resignation from the APC in preparation for their defection soonest.
The alleged presidential largesse is also said to have triggered emotions of some aggrieved state legislators who were yet to make their position known after the controversial membership registration and ward/local government congresses.
It was learnt that some of the lawmakers made a sudden U-turn upon learning of the Abuja fallout.
Besides, the political battle for the soul of Edo has shifted to the Assembly as APC faction, in alliance with the PDP lawmakers are reportedly plotting to remove Speaker Uyi Igbe who is believed to be a diehard loyalist of Governor Oshiomhole.
At the last count, the anti-speaker Uyi Igbe lawmakers were said to have gotten the nod of 14 members out of 24 legislative House. It’s not however clear if the APC leadership would pacify the aggrieved lawmakers that are yet to resign their membership from the party.
Apparently worried by the turn of event in the party, a National Vice Chairman of the APC, South-South region, Chief Tom Ikimi, raised the alarm over the impending exodus of members of the party nationwide, urging party leaders to urgently wade into the crisis rocking the party.
The Edo state-born politician who is also at logger-head with the governor over his ambition to be the party’s national chairman, is understood to be planning to dump the party if the exercise is skewed against him.
Observers say the former minister of external affairs’ alarm may not be unconnected with speculations that Oshiomhole was not disposed to his candidacy for the job which has been zoned to the South-South; but instead, was keen on the candidacy of former Edo State governor, and vice presidential candidate of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Chief John Odigie Oyegun.
As the cloud gathers over a party that has literarily become an icon in Edo state polity, political watchers are of the view that the APC desperately needs to urgently look inward in order to retain its status ahead of the forthcoming general election.