Edo PDP Politics Update – From battles between interest groups to an uncomfortable and sudden silence.

By Lucky Okoedion

After Governor Godwin Obaseki was sworn in to serve in his hard-earned second term after an election that saw several political rivals come together to work for him, the battle-fatigued political gladiators who worked for him only needed few weeks to relax and regain their strength and be ready for more battles.

But unfortunately for everyone, there was no external political battles to fight, and only few gladiators know how to NOT fight. Only few know how to enjoy in peace time or simply relax, share the spoils of war and enjoy victory together. Most gladiators who are not smart must fight – whether it is war time or peace time, they must fight. If there are no external opponents to fight, they make opponents of themselves. It is like a curse and a tool that the wiser politicians use to set them up against each other to make them lose out in the power sharing arrangement through a divide and conquer strategy.

But now, after so much intense internal conflicts between interest groups and former political rivals which culminated on the deadline given by his excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki for the submission of nominees for appointment into his cabinet, what has now followed is an abrupt halt to all hostilities. A halt too sudden to indicate that peace has been restored. A silence too abrupt and deafening to assure us that it is not the calm before the real storm. Many analysts are of the opinion that the infighting that has been seen in Edo State PDP in the past couple of months is only a tip of the iceberg compared to the internal wars that may follow after the governor has done his appointments.

To compound issues, a personal friend of the Governor who spoke on conditions of anonymity revealed that his excellency Governor Godwin Obaseki is actually wary of politicians. He is tired of the excess baggage that they carry. He loves governance but hates politics. If there was an alternative to governance without having to deal with these “dirty” politics and not having to work with these constantly fighting politicians, he would have happily opted for it.

This personal friend of the governor stressed that the governor has never been a fan of career politicians and politics in general. For him, it has always been a case of “a necessary evil”, politics being the only gateway to governance and the sustainability of his legacy. Like a bitter pill that he must swallow every day, every week, and every month.

The untold hardship he suffered in the hands of politicians in A.P.C his former political party in the run up to the last election; their attempts to frustrate, drain, strip him naked, humiliate him and destroy him has only increased his disdain for any typical career politician. This “bossom” friend of the governor stressed that these seven months without political appointees with no politicians breathing down his throat has been the happiest period in his time as governor so far. Unfortunately, he must work with these politicians, but how? The coming weeks and months will tell. But certainly, he will not allow them to take the front seat any longer. Will civil servants take the front seat? Will people from the private sector be brought in as contractors to take the front seat? Will (foreign) expatriates be brought in to take the front seat?

Hence, there are many potential sources of more brutal in-fighting in the PDP in the coming weeks and months as the posture of the adminstration becomes clearer. Many analysts agree that this is one of the greatest tests of the political leadership competence of his excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki. And he is advised to put aside the suspicion that he is tired of career politicians and then manage to provide the needed leadership that the constitution of the political party expects from him in these dicey circumstances, being recognized as the ultimate leader of the party in the state.

This is more so because this same vehicle on which he rode to power on one leg, while riding on another leg in his own vehicle made up of his loyalists who crossed with him to the PDP, the vehicle needs to remain intact the way he met it or even stronger and bigger, so that others including his successor will also be able to ride on it to victory in the future.

But for now, there is a palpable silence in Edo State as most politicians are scared not to lose out on the appointment of which list of nominees have already been sent to the governor. After the governor stated that in communities where there is dispute, he will not consider their lists of nominees. He will appoint who he pleases instead.

Even the Governor’s political opponents are also quiet in this period of waiting. We wonder whether they too are hoping that they may also be considered for appointments. Such is the intensity of the suspense in Edo currently. Who knows for how long politicians can hold their breath in this manner?

Lucky Okoedion is a believer of a New Nigeria where true democracy is practiced. He is on Twitter and Instagram as @luckyokoedion