Behind factional conflicts in Edo PDP
From Mike Osunde, Benin
THE ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Edo State now has two state party secretariats in Benin, the state capital.
One at 56 Urubi Street and the second is located at 24 Uselu-Lagos Road. They are just about 100 metres apart from each other. The distance, perhaps, shows how far apart or close the contending forces responsible for maintaining the two offices are to reconciling their differences.
If one were to go by the words of Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, one of the stalwarts who graced the opening of the second secretariat last Saturday, the commissioning will bring to an end the squabbles, which apparently drifted the contending forces apart. And those forces were easily discernible on Saturday at the ceremony which in many ways had the hands of the "Federal might."
Apart from the heavy police presence, complete with their bomb-disposal unit and heavily armed mobile policemen on guard, the calibre of dignitaries and kind of cars spoke volumes.
There came a convoy of buses carrying party faithful from Edo North and Central which Ogbemudia said were 100 in number. And the chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees and former Works Minister, Chief Tony Anenih, was in the thick of it.
Anenih did not say much during the ceremony of cutting the tape of formally commissioning the 24 Uselu-Lagos Road multi-storey building. But he let slip the idea that probably the "who" becomes governor of Edo State in 2007 was at the heart of an otherwise PDP-Edo quarrel that has taken the front burner in governance since the party swept the polls in the 2003 elections.
"Let all those intending to contest the governorship in 2007 take it easy. When the time comes, justice will be done," he declared as he alluded to those whom he said chose the incumbent Governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, and who are also insisting they must have a hand in choosing who succeeds him.
"I wonder why somebody who choose first will not allow somebody else to choose second," Anenih said.
With those words, he cut the ceremonial tape and so officially declared the new party office opened despite the existence of the other at Igbinedion House, 56, Urubi Street.
The governor's father, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin and also a stalwart of the party donated the first secretariat.
Those running the Igbinedion House secretariat foresaw the implication of opening the new secretariat and rushed to court on Friday to obtained an interim injunction against opening the new office.
But like anything done in a hurry, the restraining order was only against Prince Solomon Aguele, the state party chairman, who was the only defendant in the suit that is to be heard on January 31, next year.
Although, there were speculations at the weekend that Aguele had not been served the order not to commission the new secretariat, he was visibly absent at last Saturday's ceremony.
Anenih who was not a party to the suit was therefore free to do what he did in the name of the PDP, Edo State.
Ogbemudia said the reason for the relocation was the need for more space. "It is not because of a quarrel," he says. Rather, "the raison d'?tre was largely because of the way the party has grown and therefore need more space to thrive."
But he did not hide the fact that there was more to what he had just said when he insinuated that relocating to the new secretariat was a liberation of sorts. And he had to reach into his war chest to put it succinctly.
"Twice in a generation, Benin City is witnessing liberation. On September 22, 1967, the federal troops entered Benin and the Biafrans were asked to leave with our permission," he said in obvious reference to the Nigerian civil war, without voicing the role he played in that liberation.
But he added as he narrated the 'second liberation,' "today Chief Tony Anenih entered Benin like a triumphant general; and so, the liberation of Benin is completed."
In obvious reference to the restraining order, Ogbemudia wondered "why a landlord should object when his tenant says he wants to leave."
Then he quickly added: "We are not leaving because we are angry ... Our fight is to ensure that there is justice in everything we do, and at the end of this commissioning ceremony, we are hoping that all the problems in the Edo PDP will be resolved."
The fight for the heart of the PDP has been raging since the 2003 elections. It began with the Oredo chapter of the party leading to the brutalisation of the council chairman, Mr. Samson Esemuede. Then followed the alleged broad-day light kidnap of the state secretary, Deacon Bayo Ogbomo.
Ogbomo's sin against his kidnappers was his refusal to vacate office following alleged vote of no confidence passed on him by his Edo South constituency.
His kidnappers forced him to read his resignation letter before a TV camera and it was later aired on two local stations.
Ogbomo's ordeal forced Aguele to close down the 56 Urubi Street secretariat because it was no longer safe for elected party officials to operate in.
Then came the local council elections. Although the PDP swept the polls, the acrimony over nominations have remained a sore point to date.
And from then on, the struggle for the soul of the party gave rise to numerous factions that are gradually diffusing into two camps. One is in support of Governor Igbinedion, and the other Chief Anenih whose supporters think Igbinedion wants to silence politically.
Like Anenih, Igbinedion says little, but like a predator, using his best chance for the kill, he spoke out on the vexed question of who succeeds him last October, at a supposed meeting of the state executive meeting of the PDP at the Igbinedion House party secretariat.
When he spoke up on October 21, it was like a show of strength before an audience of political grazers, who may not count when the chips about who really becomes governor in 2007 are down. Other predators such as Anenih who helped Igbinedion in 1999 and 2003 are waiting in the wings to spring a surprise.
In 2003, Igbinedion said the governorship candidate of the party was not zonable, giving the impression that any one from anywhere in the state could succeed him. He meant that his appointed officials who are already in the race had a chance like others.
That position was however contentious because many interest groups think differently. In Edo North senatorial district, the people believe it is their turn to produce the next Governor, and have gone ahead to appoint erstwhile military Chief of General Staff, Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe as the arrow-head to achieve the goal.
In Edo Central, where Anenih is "lord and master", the sentiments are not different from those of Edo North and, there are a handful of contenders to the Edo seat power as they are in Edo South which many accuse of dominating the position for too long.
There lies the problem, and it was obvious the advantage can be maintained if the secretariat remained at Igbinedion House.
At the meeting in Igbinedion House in October, Governor Igbinedion spiced his declarations on the governorship race in 2007 with innuendoes that gave away the infighting that produced Mr. Ediagbonya as party secretary in place of Deacon Ogbomo.
He said: "PDP in Edo state is one happy family and a glory train which is moving on. We will not push anyone out of the train but at the same time, we will not stop anyone from jumping out when the train slows down."
He then added: "Party politics is not about whom you are able to crush but about how many you are able to win to your side" and promised to seek for a re-united party.
Aguele was absent at the October meeting and has since "Ogbomo's kidnap" at the secretariat abandoned ship, not calling any meeting there.
His stance showed last Saturday with the opening of the new secretariat, where Ogbomo will be secretary again. Ofionse and Ediagbonya hold sway at the old-secretariat.
If Ogbemudia's words are to be a yardstick for the things to come, the new secretariat is where all problems will be resolved.
Governor Igbinedion is known to have spent three late nights in Ogbemudia's home in Benin just before Saturday's ceremony.
But he was away in Gboko to receive a chieftaincy title from the Tor Tiv when the new secretariat was opened. And it was even said he could have been present but for the Gboko trip. And organisers had a present wrapped up for him to show they expected him.
In spite of all these, the 100 metres distance from the two secretariats showed on Saturday.
In attendance at the ceremony were Senator Victor Oyofo and O. Osunbor, Bruno Shokpeka (deputy chairman of the party from Edo North), Grace Bazuaye (the state PDP women leader), Mr. Oni Edigin Samson Esemuede. There were a host of Anenih and Ogbemudia supporters who appeared in T-shirts bearing "Ogbemudia Youth Vanguard."
But absent were the governor, his commissioners and all his appointed officials who formed the bulk of the meeting last October at Igbinedion House.`
The fight for the heart of the PDP has been raging since the 2003 elections. It began with the Oredo chapter of the party leading to the brutalisation of the council chairman
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