FEMI ADESINA, PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI’S SPOKESMAN, WROTE... AWARD WINNING STUDENT WRITER VISITS (Ikponmwosa Kingsley Osamede)

The Edo State publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mr Chris Nehikhare, has resorted to playing the ostrich in the face of the series of misfortunes pulling the once most powerful political party in Nigeria to its early grave. A cursory look at the press statements issued by Nehikhare in recent times attests to his ambivalent, unsure and compromised faith in the PDP. He gets personal instead of addressing the issues raised and tries to play the emotional card where reason should prevail. Understandably, it is not an easy task defending a party of rogues like the PDP. In the heydays of the PDP, its members were renowned for pious pronouncements and vows to rule Nigeria till thy kingdom come, an ambition that was trimmed and truncated by Nigerians in 2015. With the downturn in the fame and fortune of the PDP, Nehikhare merely rants in his press statements these days, like a drowning man, in his destined-to-fail effort to stand against a moving and progressive train, which the APC symbolises. Surprisingly, the short-sighted Nehikhare is unaware of the resolve of Edo people to dislodge the remaining members of the gang of crooked PDP members from Nigeria’s political space. But why not? Edo people have had a good deal from the APC-led government. With the ease Governor Godwin Obaseki has been delivering the real dividends of democracy in all the three senatorial districts of the state, why not? Roads spring up without any shenanigans. The construction of the Benin Industrial Park is ongoing without a road show. New air-conditioned buses are being procured for the ordinary Edo people. Gone are the days Edo people’s money was used by the PDP to sponsor the birthday ritual of its chieftain. For eight years, taxpayers’ money was used to sponsor the pastime of the rich while many poor Edo youths were dying on their way to Libya in search of means of livelihood. A few options are open to Nehikhare, who currently speaks for himself and perhaps few of the last remnant of the ill-fated party. He should run before the falling PDP roof drops on his head or secure a consulting job in states where PDP currently holds sway. To remain in Edo as PDP spokesman, is clearly a bad strategy for survival. Impressed by the transparency which Governor Obaseki has instituted in governance, several former PDP members have since defected to the APC and many more are on their way. The dwindling fortunes of the PDP further took a plunge into its foretold imminent death in Edo State recently, as one of its former members, Honourable Johnson Agbonanyima, led his followers to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Explaining his reason for his defection in Abuja, Hon. Agbonayinma, said the PDP ‘shut its doors’ against him and the loyalists of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, a former Chairman of the party’s National Working Committee. Agbonanyima’s decision has added to the woes that have been digging the heels of the terminally ill PDP in the past weeks, after its national convention that left in its wake, disenchantment, disaffection, allegation of electoral fraud, threats of, and actual litigations and a no-confidence -vote by most of its members. Followers of political events unfolding in Edo State, have hailed Hon. Agbonanyinma’s decision, describing it as a monumental loss to the dying PDP and a huge gain to the APC. “Representative Agbonanyinma is a major addition to the APC in Edo State. He represents Egor\Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency, which turns out the largest number of voters during elections in the state. He is outspoken and articulate and his defection is a big blow to the PDP,” a political scientist, Mr. Ikponmwosa Edugie said. He disclosed that the move by the member of the House of Representatives is an insight into what will happen in the days to come as all “PDP members in the former Sheriff’s camp in Edo State, are on their way to the APC.” Edugie said: “I can tell you that Honourable Agbonanyinma is coming into the APC with a large crowd of former PDP members. The opposition party is on its way to the cemetery.” A politician, Mr. Stephen Oghomwen, said that “with the local government chairmanship election slated for 2018, the stage is set for the APC to take over the entire Edo State.” He explained: “You may be aware that local councils make up the base of any political party’s structures. With the work Obaseki is doing across the state and the defections from the opposition PDP to the APC in all parts of the state, Edo is on its way to displacing the PDP, where ever they currently weigh insignificant influence.” He added that “with the number of roads springing up everywhere in Edo State and the big plans to build an industrial park, 20 mini-stadia and the jobs being created by the Obaseki-led administration, there is no hope for the PDP in Edo State in years to come.” Mr. Stephen said, “the PDP ruined the state and will atone for its sins of excessive corruption in the years to come. PDP’s woes are increasing by the day.” In other states, recall that before the Edo representative quit the PDP, a member of the PDP from Imo State, Mr. Raphael Igbokwe, on Tuesday, also defected to the APC. Beyond the hallow chamber of the National Assembly litigants have vowed to reverse the outcome of the election of Secondus as chairman of PDP in the court. Former Minister of Youths and Sports, Taoheed Adedoja, who vied for the position of the party’s national chairmanship at the December 9 convention, is already in court. Adedoja filed a suit seeking the nullification of the result of the chairmanship election that produced Prince Uche Secondus, who polled 2,000 votes and was declared the winner ahead of Adedoja, Dr Raymond Dokpesi and Prof. Tunde Adeniran. The former minister claimed that he was excluded from the chairmanship race. According to reports, he claimed that the zero score credited to him by the PDP is embarrassing, “maligned and brought great ridicule to his political career” which he claimed he built over 14 years. He said the name on the ballot paper was “Taoheed Oladoja” while his name is “Taoheed Adedoja.” He is praying “the court to declare the election of the national chairman of the PDP held at the Eagle Square in Abuja on December 9, 2017, null and void amongst others. As if that is not enough, several aggrieved members of the PDP, led by Emmanuel Nwosu, staged a protest in Abuja and threatened to form a splinter PDP group. They claim they are on a mission to reform the party and have distanced themselves from the outcome of the party’s national convention. The group, which called itself Fresh PDP, noted that the newly elected National Working Committee (NWC) chaired by Prince Uche Secondus was the child of fraud, and vowed to open its separate secretariat in Abuja. Though the leadership of the PDP through a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, dismissed the group, the emergence of Fresh PDP, will be used by millions of the party’s followers as basis for them to dump the ailing party for good. Recall that Hon. Agbonayinma was a member of the Sheriff-led faction of the PDP before the nation’s apex court, the Supreme Court, which gave recognition to the then Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led faction as the authentic leadership of the party. #beleaguered ChrisLiarkhare