By Embassy Oseni MOMODU (Embassy66.com)
Politics is a dirty game. It comes with its own vibes and jabs. Difficult to comprehend to many and easy for status enhancements without limits. This view is held by larger members of political societies.
Sometimes, everyone works during electioneering circles, but only few benefit. Such is the irony of politics. I have often advocate that being successful in politics doesn’t lie in appointments or other forms of engagement which are temporary. A successful politician is one who build and runs viable entreprise independent of political affiliate. So that when you’re fired (which may sometimes inevitably comes), you swiftly readjust and maintain balance, then moves on like nothing happened.
As APC Edo state holds its state congress today, Mr. Jarret Tenebe now elevated to assume enormous leadership of party affairs in the state. To be considered eligible for any political office, you are either loyal to his whims and caprises or forget about it at least under Mr. Okpebholo’s administration.
Let no one misconstrue my political views as hate against the mentioned. We still maintained high level relationship than imagined. We can only get better if as a party, we counsel ourselves the honest truth rather than condoning political neglect of party members.
For some of us who weren’t initially in the camp of the Governor during primary, an embargo is already permanently imposed. Even those who supported him have one time or the other been unceremoniously hired and fired. Appointees to the offices of the Chief of Staff, Commissioners, Heads of Agencies and Parastatas, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, etcetera are amongst the latest political victims since inception. The scale is still brewing.
How about Col. David Imuse. The man who steers the affairs of Edo APC throughout Obaseki’s era? He shaped Edo APC to the gains a selected few now benefit. Under Imuse, Edo APC flourishes in victories during 2023 general elections as opposition party. Notably, Imuse won 8 out of 9 house of Reps. seats, 2 Senate seat, 8 House of Assembly seats. APC presidential candidate Tinubu also won historic victory under his reign as State party chairman.
I want to be put on record that the Edo 2024 gubernatorial election was billed to be won by APC regardless whoever emerges party flag bearer. In fact, even if goat was fielded by APC, it could have won that election given the foundational structure already laid by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Col. Imuse, etc. Imuse is from the same senatorial zone with incumbent Governor Monday Okpebholo. No iota of evidence that Col. Imuse didn’t support the party’s guber candidate Okpebholo despite conceding primary election victory in favor of the Governor. Same were some other contestants too. I confirmed.
Investigations showed that both Tenebe and Governor Okpebholo not only continued to sidelined Imuse and other key party stalwarts who have demonstrated loyalty to APC before and after the 2024 gubernatorial election, but distrust grows by the day, fueling speculations about the future of the party in subsequent elections to come.
All we now here is “Jarret Tenebe made Okpebholo Governor”, substantially relegating contributions by other powerful individuals including most respected distinguished Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Hon. Anamero Dekeri, Pastor Ize-Iyamu, Col. David Imuse, Alhaji Abubakar Akokhia, Denis Idahosa, and many others.
The question l often ask is, how? I mean how?. I was privy to how Okpebholo secured APC guber ticket without saying more. From the first to the second primaries, l was an active insider. No one should attempt to rewrite history for selfish reasons. Politics, as in life is share luck.
God’s providence, right timing, need for rotaional balancing of the exalted seat and Obaseki’s incompetent handling of internal party affairs ceded victory to Monday Okpebholo and APC in Edo. Sadly, the current administration is swiftly drifting towards that direction as we speak and the opposition ADC is watching closely.
Lessons have been learnt and another elections beacons with electoral projections already standing at 2.5 or 3 million votes to APC’s Tinubu as declared by the Governor. Let those who currently enjoys the fruits of what every Edo APC laboured for continued. Is alright. Eight years is not eighty years. Everyone’s time will come either in politics or other endeavors.
As erstwhile Edo PDP members, the duo of Jarret Tenebe and Governor Okpebholo operated from behind the scene under late Chief Tony Anenih while others head sway. Table has changed with the duo calling the shot. It’s Jarret Tenebe’s, Okpebholo’s and Sylvester’s golden turn at the moment of Edo political history and so will be others too. It’s their choice too if they choose to carry every APC members along.
As APC Edo elects new party leadership to succeed a workaholic ranking party statesman, whom after losing guber primary election to Okpebholo, went on to deliver his unit, ward and local government to APC, the leadership of the party led by distinguished Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Governor Monday Okpebholo, and Jarret Tenebe should reached out to Col. David Imuse and the likes for reintegration into the scheme of state affairs. Anyone who derives comfort for Imuse’s absence may one day equally be afflicted with same treatment and abandonment after meritorious service. This is a moment of deep reflection.
When the bell would ring and hand of clock tweak it would be too late to readjust.
~Embassy- Oseni MOMODU writes from Abuja. He can be reached via osenixyz@gmail.com or 08120567606