National Honours List of Shame: Incentives for Criminality ~ @omojuwa

Nigerian National Honours are yearly conferred upon Nigerians and friends of Nigeria who had rendered meritorious service to the country, its values and its people in previous years. They were instituted by the National Honours Act No. 5 of 1964, during the First Republic. In recent times, it has been most remembered for two major things; being rejected by Professor Chinua Achebe and being regarded as a roll call of the biggest looters of Nigeria. The latter is not without merit and the former was widely hailed by Nigerians who had come to regard the awards as some kind of National Villains List.
The President of Nigeria, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker House of Representatives, Chief Justice of Nigeria and a couple of other elected/selected public officials are automatic recipients of these awards. A year into their tenure, irrespective of performance or value creation, they are bestowed with the “highest honours” in the land. This makes a lot of sense in a country where attaining office is seen to be the peak of achievement rather than what one gets done with the office. Little wonder that some of the most revered rogues in Nigeria’s history are members of this Honours’ List. Bode George and James Ibori are two of its old boys. Contrast this reality with the treatment of genuine heroes. Nigerian Paralympians returned from London yesterday after shattering world records and saving the face of the nation with 13 medals compared with the zero medals we won at the Olympics. These real heroes were dumped at the rickety National Institute for Sports last night.
Look at Mr. Imeh Usuah the taxi driver who was given a N30,000.00 award for returning N18,000,000.00 found in his car. As far as the National Orientation Agency was concerned, it had done its job by giving the seemingly poor man N30,000.00. Who cares if they gave him N100 when the best reward would have been for him to receive a deserving National Medal of Honour. Listen to every American Governor or President and even candidates positioning themselves to occupy such offices, they give respect to American heroes home and abroad, keeping the values and ideals of their founding fathers real and giving up their lives for the sake of America. Governor Mitt Romney has been deservingly criticized for daring to forget the heroics of the American soldiers in Afghanistan by not mentioning that in his nomination address. A Senior Special Assistant to the president was discussing with my group about a perception project for Nigeria. The intention was to look out for ways to improve the country’s image. With a list of “heroes” like this as released by the federal government, we just set the nation back on that front.
We cannot obviously deny the fact that not all the listed people are not deserving of the award but in a nation where politics is the biggest failure, why should politicians get the highest rewards in the land? Why should an office holder automatically qualify for a national honour as soon as he gets the job? What happens to the logic of such people at first earning their reputation? What is the problem with our country? Why do we do always do our best to turn logic on its head? How can we be focused on transforming our national values and at the same time, in the same breath, honour men and women who in other climes would be honoured with jail sentences? How can a government release a list of people sabotaging the economy (fuel subsidy scam) one week and the following week the same men top the list of people to be rewarded “for their contribution to national development”?
A society is built on what it rewards. We reward militants and economic saboteurs, we are sure to inspire another generation to go on that path. It looks as though if you are a big criminal in Nigeria, the federal government will find you…and reward you. Just be a criminal that pays his dues. Is that how to build a nation?

PHCN to publish names of debtors in national dailies

PHCN will not hesitate to drag its debtors to the press. The Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, will soon publish names of its debtors in national dailies if they fail to pay their debts amounting to N16 billion. The Managing Director of the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, Idris Mohammed, said this during the First Customers Consultative
Council meeting on Wednesday in Kaduna.
Mr. Mohammed said electricity consumers owe the company huge debts despite all efforts to ensure regular and effective debt collection. He said the present debt profile was inimical to the company’s corporate survival. He urged consumers to settle their electricity bills to ensure good service delivery at all times.
The Kaduna electricity boss said more than 50,000 pre-paid meters had been distributed to customers in Kaduna metropolis, Samaru, and Zaria Business Units. He said more than 3,500 special pre-paid meters had been deployed to Sokoto State to cater for both Gwiwa and Marina Business Units under the Federal Government’s Pilot Programme.
“This special Federal Government project will promote customer satisfaction and revenue improvement,” the managing director said. He said that the company would soon send prepaid meters to Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi and other states to guarantee accurate billing of customers.
The initiative is expected to help reduce friction between customers and marketers, which often resulted to disconnection. According to him, the company has purchased more than 50 transformers to replace ageing ones, while some injection sub-stations have been completed.
The Zonal Chairman of the Customers Consultative Council, Linus Alhassan, urged various communities to set up monitoring teams to guard PHCN installations. He said the activities of vandals had continued to increase daily.
Mr. Alhassan noted that there was a dearth of PHCN equipment in the store, which had made replacement of stolen ones difficult, saying adequate security of PHCN cables and other materials would enable customers enjoy adequate power supply.
A customer from Kano Business Unit, Umar Muhammed, commended the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company for engaging electricity consumers through the Customers Consultative Council meeting. He expressed the hope that the steps taken by the company would improve power generation across the zone.

 DailyPost

North Nigeria: A New Calm? Muslim Clerics Promote Peace

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NewsRescue- It would have been expected as in past cases that bloody riots would have broken out and cars and homes burned and people dismembered in North Nigeria erupting riots related to the western directed hate movie, but rather, to the celebration of many, North Nigeria remained calm even after today’s Friday Jumah prayers when tensions were feared to boil up.

Prominent Islamic clerics in North Nigeria had advised Muslims against violence, this assisted in promoting the calm being witnessed. Read that story below.
Usually it takes less than these types of events which have flared up in much of the Muslim world, for Nigeria to be fully in participation and even taking a lead with hundreds of deaths. Rather, as some say, in a victory of peace and tolerance than can partly be attributed to the ugly head of Boko Haram forming an unusual unity, understanding and tolerance between Muslims and Christians, both victims at the mercy of this small, yet mean and savage group, and at the mercy also of Nigeria’s disappointing government as well as all other forms of terrorism North and South, which include MEND rebels, southern kidnappers, so-called ex-MEND high sea pirates, Biafra zionists to mention a few; from these a mutual coexistence wave and level of decency previously unprecedented has erupted in Nigeria.
SaharaReporters who were eagerly anticipating violent outbreaks in the North were only able to report a gathering in Jos which was quickly disbursed by Jos security services.
The fuel riots of January, featured a national community that was unique as the entire nations’ religious adherents all worked together toward their united interest.
Nigerian Muslims and Christians have come together and in many cases protected each other in recent times more notably than ever before. Religious leaders on both sides have made advances to each other and hosted each other to dinners and interfaith meetings. Cooperation groups have been formed, teams and associations have evolved on both sides determined to quell misunderstanding and the use of religious adherents as tools in wars fought by miscreant elements at home and abroad.

US blasphemy movie: Muslim clerics advise against street protest

Prominent Islamic clerics yesterday urged Muslims in Nigeria not to resort to street demonstrations over the blasphemous film made in the US, as violence spread in the Middle East and North Africa.
While the clerics condemned the movie, which presented the Prophet Muhammad in ways that angered Muslims around the world, they said street protests could only worsen the security situation in the country.
Chief Imam of Jos Central Mosque, Sheikh Balarabe Daud, described the film as provocative and insulting but urged for restraint.
“Such actions are orchestrated by the enemies of peace to bring about chaos which must be condemned by religious leaders all over the world,” he said.

 Another prominent Islamic scholar Sheikh Alhassan Sa’id said the only way Muslims can be appeased is for the United States to take measures to arrest and prosecute these behind the movie.

But he urged for restraint among the Muslim community in Nigeria.
In Kaduna, security presence was beefed up yesterday, apparently in efforts to avoid eruption of violence following the security alert issued on Tuesday.
Public buildings where there was no security presence before yesterday are now guarded by either policemen or soldiers.
An armoured tank was stationed at the entrance of the Arewa House, aside the presence of security personnel.
When contacted, the Kaduna State Commissioner of police, Olufemi Adenaike, said his command has put his men on red alert to avert any attempt to breach the peace.
“In the first place, what we want the public to know is that there is no link between what happened in other countries and Nigeria,” he said.
“Those who did what they did are not Nigerians, therefore we shouldn’t allow crisis that happened in other countries to spill over to Nigeria. I know Nigerians are peace loving people and for that I know they would not allow anybody to use them to breach the peace that we are enjoying in Kaduna and other parts of the country.
“However, I have put all my divisional police officers and area commanders on red alert to forestall any attempt by individuals or groups to breach the peace of the state.”
In Kano spokesman for the Joint Task Force, Lt Ikedichi Iweha, told Daily Trust troops have been briefed about the situation. He, however, said there is no sign of trouble.
“Troops are on ground and ready to act in case anything happens,” he added.
Our correspondent reports that many people in Kano did not appear to be aware of protests elsewhere over the controversial film.
In Bauchi, the state Police command said they also took measures to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
A Daily Trust correspondent who went round Bauchi metropolis observed that security has been beefed up, as soldiers and policemen patrol the streets and conduct stop-and-search.
Spokesman for the Police in Bauchi, Hassan Mohammed Auyo, said, “We have now taken more proactive measures. We have identified all flash points; we have deployed our men there and we opened our ears where ever we heard something we will be there to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order.”
He appealed to parents to warn their children against participating in any activity that will cause the breach of peace.
US embassy issues warning
Meanwhile, the US embassy in Nigeria yesterday warned Americans about the threat of attacks by extremist groups following the violence in Libya and Egypt, urging extra caution.
The “emergency message” issued to Americans living in Nigeria came after militants attacked the US consulate in Benghazi, killing the US ambassador and three other Americans, hours after a mob attacked the US embassy in Cairo.
“Extremists may attempt to target US citizens and other Westerners in Nigeria,” the embassy said in a statement.
“The situation in Nigeria remains fluid and unpredictable,” the statement said, urging Americans “to consider their personal security.”
Filmmaker identified
A U.S. law enforcement official says a man named Nakoula Basseley Nakoula is behind the anti-Islam film being blamed for mob attacks in Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen.
A man who calls himself Sam Bacile has said he created the film, but The Associated Press on Wednesday connected Nakoula to the Bacile persona.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation.

Nissan to open Assembly Plant in Nigeria

Nissan Motors

Nissan Motors has said it is poised to open an assembly plant in Nigeria as a result of its satisfaction of the quality of infrastructure and sales opportunity in the country.
Regis Tromeur, the Managing Director of Alliance Autos Nigeria Ltd, disclosed this during a visit to Lister Motors in Ibadan yesterday.
He said, “We are impressed with what we have seen here today in terms of infrastructure to carry out sales and after sale services.
“We are working hard to capture the commercial opportunities in auto market in the country. As we all know, automobile business is about selling and maintenance of cars. As we deliver quality products to our clients, we are also going to offer quality after sale services.
“Having a plant in Nigeria is part of the possibilities that we are looking at. In each of the 36 states, we want to differentiate ourselves by occupying the number one position.”
He also disclosed that there were plans to reopen Nissan auto dealership in Ibadan in conjunction with Lister motors.
Speaking on the developments, the Chairman of Lister Motors, Alhaji Arisekola-Alao said, ““We are going to ensure that Nissan attains its pride of place again in the Nigerian auto market. We decided to stop importation of cars and went into flour milling business about 30 years ago due to changing government policies and bad economy. But, we shall now focus on importation of Nissan vehicles.
“I must say that we are overdue for a Nissan assembly plant in Nigeria. We once proposed the setting up of a plant in Ilorin, but that plan did not materialise.”
BusinessNews

President Obasanjo: US-NATO Sacking Ghaddafi Fueled Boko Terror; Amb. Stevens’ Death Is A Price They Too Pay

Former President Obasanjo has said the Libyan revolution that ousted long-time leader Mu’ammar Ghaddafi let loose trained militants and weapons that found their ways into Nigeria, fueling the Boko Haram insurgency.
In an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation radio and television aired yesterday, Obasanjo said also that the rise of the insurgency could be linked to bad leadership.
“There is an element of that,” he said when asked if bad leadership contributed in propping up the sect.
“There is an internal element, which you have mentioned—inadequate education in the North, or in fact inadequate education generally in the country, inadequate employment opportunities in the country, all that are part of what, if you like, is remote cause of Boko Haram as far as I am concerned.
“But then there are also external elements. Now, the fallout from Libya, which of course as a result what happened in Libya, those that have been trained in Libya in the time of Gaddafi from other countries who are neighbors of Libya, when Gaddafi fell they moved out. They moved out with their training, their weapons and they started to wreak havoc on the communities in which they have moved out to. And that is the situation in northern Mali,” he added.
When asked if he meant there was a connection between the overthrow of Ghaddafi and the Boko Haram insurgency, the killing of the US ambassador in Libya on Tuesday and the instability in northern Mali, Obasanjo replied: “There is connection.”
He said those who masterminded the fall of Ghaddafi, as well as the whole of Africa, have already started paying a price for that.
“And we know that there will be a price to pay in the way that it all went in Libya. At the end of the day all of us in Africa, and all those who masterminded the way it happened will have to pay a price, and we are now paying the price,” Obasanjo said.
He said the Arab Spring was celebrated too early, as there are always consequences of violent overthrow of leaders.
“Now it was too early to shout ‘uhuru’ with the Arab Spring, and some of us said that. That look, what will be the final outcome of this? Let us wait and see. When you have violence and violent overthrow of regimes you do not know exactly what the final outcome will be.”
‘Boko Haram can’t win this war’
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo said Boko Haram’s stated objective of imposing Sharia law on Nigeria will never work because of the religious diversity of the population.
“Now, talking to people who know the history of Nigeria, you will know that you cannot impose any particular religion on Nigeria as a whole. These people cannot impose Shari’a in the North where most of our people are Muslims let alone in Nigeria,” he said.
“Now, they should know that, and someone should make them know that. So I see a bit of naivety in that objective that they have given to themselves and it is an unattainable objective.”
Obasanjo added: “If you are prepared to kill more people, if like somebody says “we will fight to the last drop of our blood”, now, one does not know whose blood would be the last to drop. How many would they kill, how many of them will survive at the end of the day?
“I believe you should go with…you should carry carrot and stick, at the end of the day there would be area where carrot would work and there would be area where stick would work. And I believed the authorities are now adopting that.
“Those who are on the other side, Boko Haram, and those who believe in their cause or waiting for their cause, know that it is not the war that they can win.”

News+Rescue

EDO GOVERNORSHIP POLL: REJOICE NOT OSHIOMHOLE

GOVERNOR ADAMS OSHIOMHOLE
The Will.
The much-talked about July 14, 2012 governorship election in Edo State has come and gone but contending issues around the conduct and outcome of the poll will continue to ricochet in the polity until they are resolved.  This is why the beneficiary of the poll, incumbent Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who contested on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), should be well advised not to rejoice yet or not to even rejoice at all because of the irregularities that typified the process that threw him up.

The totality of the theatrical outburst by Oshiomhole which characterized the accreditation of voters and the conduct of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has exposed the underbelly of the governor’s stratagem: to incite the people (just in case the election did not favour him) by raising the alarm that the electoral body was working in cahoots with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo to rig the election in Edo South Senatorial District of the State.

But I was not deceived by the diversionary tactics employed by the comrade governor.  Reflecting on his allegation and condemnation of INEC and its Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, while the accreditation was still in progress on the Election Day, it is now apparent that Oshiomhole pulled a fast one on the main opposition party (PDP) which was conned into believing that the governor’s rigging plan had been frustrated by the INEC whereas the plan was working out perfectly.

Oshiomhole had said: “if accreditation is to stop by 12pm and by 11 am (it is after 11 am now), there are no materials in some polling booths, it then means Prof. Atahiru Jega and INEC have no plans to conduct election.  The whole idea is to frustrate the people so that they will not be able to vote, and they will declare a fake result.  Prof Jega and INEC have been an embarrassment to the nation.  I am in shock with all the arrangements they have made sensitizing the people; and, I told them, INEC needed to be sensitized.  INEC is the weakest link in the Nigerian democratic chain.  I have no faith in what INEC is doing in Benin City.

“This is designed for where majority of the people are denied the right to vote and this time around, I have told them this country either decides on whether to move on or move back; I see sponsored editorials saying whatever happens we will go to court, but today we have to sort out the issues once and for all.”  In fact, a statement by his Chief Press secretary, Peter Okhiria, wherein the governor’s condemnation was contained, further quoted Oshiomhole to have said he held Jega responsible for the failure of the election and for disenfranchising the people as INEC had connived with the PDP to involve in scientific rigging.

According to Oshiomhole, “They planned it and executed it this way.  It is a shame that they have programmed this to embarrass the Nigeria nation.  If INEC do not allow the people to vote and they pronounce the winner there will be trouble….  Fifty five percent of voters are in Edo South and forty percent in Benin City, and they think they can deprive the people the opportunity to vote.  Prof. Jega has failed us because I wrote a petition that they are buying voters card.  We will all go to court before God. They know that if it is two people remaining they will not vote for them.”

These were the intimidation, blackmail and high drama that Oshiomhole introduced into the process, thus making an objective assessment by political watchers extremely difficult.  He played the mind game and succeeded in demonizing the INEC and the PDP in the minds of Nigerians as entities who were out to rig the election in Edo State and particularly in Edo South Senatorial District.  With this, attention was diverted from the ACN and the totality of its rigging plan, which was then clinically executed. 

The outcome of the poll in which the PDP did not win a single local government area raises a critical question against the backdrop of the huge mobilization and campaign by the party?  Is the ACN claiming that its government has built infrastructure in every nook and cranny to deserve widespread support; such that it would win the entire Esanland and even the home base of the PDP candidate, whereas, Oshiomhole himself admitted during the governorship debate that his government had built about twenty percent of the infrastructure and that he would continue to do more.  So, it is clear that it was not about development in the neglected rural areas.  If it was not, then what happened?  How did the ACN do it? Time will tell. 

But curiously, at the end of the day, Oshiomhole ended up being the beneficiary of an election which he claimed was fraught with irregularities.  Trust Oshiomhole’s incredible capacity to approbate and reprobate on the same issue.  He had quickly turned round to rationalize the alarm he raised and the allegation he made.  And the whole world is probably no longer amused about his repulsive disposition and antics.  

Well, the ball is in the court of Edo PDP to explore post-election options that it deems appropriate.  If it decides to go to court, then Oshiomhole should be well advised not to rejoice yet.  Besides, there are feelers that there is a question mark on the education qualifications Oshiomhole filled in his INEC form.  The PDP had published an advertorial signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Matthew Uroghide, in some newspapers on July 12, 2012, in which it drew the attention of Edo people to the issue.  This may present a serious ground for litigation, except the PDP does not want to pursue that option for reasons that may be best known to it.  And even if the PDP chooses not to go to court, Oshiomhole should not rejoice because ill-gotten victory will not endure. 

But the PDP’s reaction to ACN’s post-election euphoria has been that the election was fraught with irregularities.  Even if that line is not pursued in court by the party, the message has been clearly delivered.  According to the party, in a statement issued by its Chairman, Dan Orbih, “Just before the close of polls of the July 14, 2012 Governorship Election in Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, in a reaction before the media, strongly indicted and accused Professor Attahiru Jega and Edo State INEC of colluding with Edo PDP to compromise the integrity of the election.  This accusation which arose from the governor’s observations on the conduct of the election is also published in the national newspapers of July 15, 2012 and especially on the front pages of the Sunday Vanguard and Tribune newspapers.  In the accusation, Governor Oshiomhole said he will ‘...fight this [INEC] debauchery’.

“Edo PDP agrees totally with Governor Oshiomhole that the election was fraught with high and pervasive irregularities.  In addition to the governor’s observed ‘high and pervasive irregularities’, Edo PDP wishes to record the following facts and to make them public: that Edo PDP had, before the election, opposed the use of currently serving NYSC members in Edo State to conduct the elections.  Facts abound everywhere that NYSC members used as INEC officiating staff became agents of the ACN, served its purpose and subverted the voting process.

“That in several units, voters were deliberately prevented from voting through non provision of authentic voters’ registers. This action disenfranchised a lot of the voting public in those units; that party agents of the NCP, SDMP, LP and CPC at the polling units became agents of the ACN in order to compromise the process.  Some of these agents are known ACN members; and that the released results show a pattern of figures being prearranged.  There are infallible reasons to believe that figures had been allocated to the various voting units in the eighteen local government areas long before the election took place.

“That, INEC officials at polling units illegally permitted the use of photocopied and cloned voters’ cards to vote at the centres.  This gave rise to multiple voting from people who were not qualified to vote at those centres.  It also made it possible for vote figures to be bloated and falsified.  You will recall that Governor Oshiomhole at the stakeholders meeting of July 6, 2012 in Benin City tendered some of these cards to INEC Chairman Professor Attahiru Jega as exhibits; and that of the over one million, two hundred registered voters for the election, only a little over six hundred were accredited, a development that was deliberately orchestrated to deregister a larger percentage of voters and deprive them of their right to vote.”

Well, against the backdrop of the above, it will be the height of criminal arrogance for the ACN and its candidate to continue to present to the world the saintly mien simply because they have not been exposed for what they are: scientific riggers.  After all, the opposition raised the alarm before the election but the world was deceived by their “one man, one vote” mantra, which the PDP seemed to be genuinely committed to, but which to the ACN was a façade to garb its rigging plan from public perception.
By Callistus Omoregie

BEFORE EDO TRIBUNAL BEGINS

BY Okharedia Ihimekpen
At the root of the tragedy of the fourth republic lies a deep and often disturbing paradox of perjury in the nations body-politic. The inevitability of the original perjury soon gave way as it were, to the perjury of “inevitability”.
It will be profoundly mistaken to think that the issue of perjury and certificate forgery in our political order began with the Salisu Buhari the one time Speaker of the House of Representatives and his Toronto scandal nor the “Evan Enwerem, Evans” tail in our senate.
Evidence abounds to show that during the first and the second republic there were deep rumblings of forgery within political parties and the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO) as it was then called. It was perhaps this rumbling, more than any other thing that finally persuaded Mallam Aminu Kano, the talakawa maestro and our Owelle of Onitsha and founder of the Nigeria nation Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe along with their bickering colleagues to put their houses in other not to douse the certificate and the tax evasion scandal.
Thus, the issue of perjury and certificate scandal had made itself a virile and as at that time-positive political instrument in our policy long before now. This also explains why Adams Oshiomhole current certificate scandal is an act imbued with the strongest of patriotic favour and nationalist zeal.
But this issue itself is not without its poignant irony according to Chief Akpofure a senior advocate of Nigeria and lead counsel to the petitioner General Charles Airhiavbere the issues of certificate scandal raised in the Edo Electoral Tribunal borders seriously on certificate forgery and perjury. Speaking with newsmen at the tribunal venue the other day the renowned advocate said, among other things are that there is a serious disconnect in the names in the certificate presented by Oshiomhole an oath and that Oshiomhole claimed to have attended the Iyamoh Primary School in 1957 when government records say the school was established only in 1963, is not only preposterous but a source of nausea to the thinking of a sane mind.
Moreover Oshiomhole’s name is said not to be in the Class Register nor among the graduated class from the Martins Secondary Modern school he claimed to have graduated from in 1965.
Another question is if Oshiomhole was born in 1952 as declared on oath could he have completed his modern secondary school in 1965 at the age of 13 years as declared on Oath. These remain the Jermaine issues.
By all accounts Oshiomhole is a nice, decent fellow, a Comrade’s Comrade. But he was obviously ill-equipped and ill-prepared for the heady mantle that fell in him as Governor of Edo State in 2008. Symbolically enough, Oshiomhole is packing out of Government House the same manner he entered sometimes in 2008 when he eased out Senator Oserheimen Osunbor. It is indeed a tribute to his immerse personnel courage and resourcefulness as a comrade that Oshiomhole was able to survive the political furnace both in his party ACN and the polity of the state.
We may marvel at why Airhiavbere is insisting on the law taking its course. But one thing may now be said in favour of Airhiavbere, from evidence available and the political inferno the trial will undergo Edo politics will never be the same again after this saga. Airhiavbere heroism will not only be saluted for today but will be hailed by posterity as haven contributed to deepen our democracy and the rule of law.
Once bitten twice shy. Today Edo state pre-tribunal mood of Edo people would be best be described as a mixture of aggressive nationalism and an unrepentant fortification of the state. This glorification of the state which reminds one of the nineteenth century Prussia in all its naked ferocity has reached its new height with the coming of Airhiavbere. But it had been building up all along. Thus, if the Peoples Democratic Party refuses to go into the battle with Airhivbere, it was because the leadership of the Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has reasons only known to the leadership alone.
In the event that Oshiomhole lose this case, the ugly scenario will be that party the ACN may run into oblivion thus rescheduling the political calculations of many that had they succeeded the PDP and its national leader Chief Tony Anenih will never have surfaced in Edo politics for a long time to come.
The PDP albatross in the state has been that they had ruled the State for eight years with nothing to show in terms of roads development. Yet no one cares to listen that in Nigeria polity there is always a sharp difference between the party and the government. That would have perhaps explained why the PDP could not bring Lucky Igbinedion who was their Governor for those years to order, nor expects the ACN to checkmate Adams Oshiomhole.
Who knows perhaps of Igbinedion has increased school fees in the tertiary institutions divert the funds used to build the Stella Obasanjo Hospital, the state library complex, College of Education, Igueben and the State Polytechnic Usen to road rehabilitation, Edo people would have eulogized him. Don’t mind if these actions would have been sending all of us to the medieval age.
Today the state is in a state of anomie. The immigrant road contractors had all left the sites as the elections gimmick are over. Local councils that have never embarked on any development projects today can hardly pay salaries. What is more, the state is highly indebted and the state has remained unstable.
Here is the crux of the matter. The concern for stability and order in Edo reveals a paradoxical blurring of vision on the part of the political leadership. Indeed, the greatest threat to economic stability in Edo today is not who rules the state but the desperately level of poverty and that justice must be seen to have done in the Election Tribunal. And nothing has done more to accentuate this than the fact that Oshiomhole himself came on board through the instrumentality of a law Tribunal. It is a fact that has made the present very tense and the future potentially hinging on hope.