Affiliation to the party at the centre and quest for platform to actualise 2016 governorship ambition account for defection of key PDP members to APC in Edo, Special Correspondent, TITUS OISE, argues.
In what seems to be the trend across the country since the March 28 presidential and National Assembly elections, Edo State has had its fair share of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Analysts attribute the bizarre movement to the so-called ‘bread and butter’ politics that has always seen politicians not having the steam and temperament to be in opposition. They rather surge to the party in power in a bid to remain relevant politically and materially.
The APC performed poorly during the March 28 presidential and National Assembly elections in Edo. Out of the three senatorial districts, PDP, which is an opposition party in the state, won in two (Edo South and Edo Central), while APC, the ruling party, won only in Edo North, Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s zone.
Curiously, the major players, who ensured the failure of the APC in the state, are the ones defecting to the party now, with their numerous supporters. Perhaps the most shocking of all the defections was that of General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd.), the PDP governorship candidate in 2012. Before his defection, he was one of the coordinators of President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign in the state.
Airhiavbere, during his defection on Easter Sunday, said: “I have decided to join the team of change that has come to the nation in the election of March 28, 2015, so that Edo State will continue to enjoy the benefits of the party at the centre. Any politician who means well for this state will ground their arms of hate and join the change train of the APC government ably led by His Excellency, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole.”
He enthused that with APC at the national and the state levels, all the campaign promises will be delivered to Edo for rapid development. He paid tribute to APC members for being part of the victory team at the presidential election.
When asked why he didn’t defect before March 28, Airhiavbere said: “PDP didn’t give me any money. My drive and passion for Jonathan is from my personal efforts. I will ensure that Edo State remains in the mainstream. Money has never motivated me. I will always be loyal to the centre.”
Former governor, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, was also part of the defection train. His movement, in fact, took many by surprise. He was a major pillar of support for PDP in Edo Central. He was governor of Edo State for 18 months before the emergence of Oshiomhole through court ruling. No doubt, Osunbor is a major player in the PDP, having contributed to the massive victory recorded by the party in the March 28 election. Curiously, he defected to the APC with his teeming supporters.
Receiving Osunbor and thousands of his supporters at Iruekpen, Oshiomhole said, “I will be working with a respected Professor of Law like you and many of your supporters. We thank God for what he has used us to achieve.”
Other prominent members of PDP who defected with their supporters are former Deputy Minority Leader in the House of Representatives, Emmanuel Arigbe-Osula; and co-founder of the Friends of Goodluck Jonathan Support Group, former Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Idada Ikponmwen.
Ikponmwen, who defected in Benin, said: “I am exceedingly happy that our people and the entire nation have overwhelmingly voted for the man of the moment, a perpendicular person, a leader of proven character, a courageous and detribalised man with zero tolerance for corruption, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, to lead this nation.”
He urged his supporters to vote for APC in April 11 assembly election in the state.
By the close of last week, more defections were expected from PDP to APC in the state. Many of the defectors, TheNiche was told, needed the platform of the party to actualise their governorship ambition in the state, next year. Our reporter, for instance, gathered that arrangements had been concluded to receive a major financier and governorship aspirant of the PDP, Kenneth Imansuagbon (Rice man) into the APC fold. It was also learnt that former APC Chieftain, Tom Ikimi; and Edo South co-ordinator of Jonathan campaign, Osagie Ize-Iyamu; are being wooed back into the party.
Incidentally, Ikimi and Ize-Iyamu played crucial roles in the merger talks that gave birth to APC, before defecting to the PDP.
It was also learnt that Omosede, the daughter of Gabriel Igbinedion, who just won the Ovia Federal Constituency House of Representatives on the platform of PDP, is equally warming up to defect to the APC.
Interestingly, most of these defectors played major roles in the Jonathan campaign and ensured his victory over Buhari in Edo. However, shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the APC presidential candidate as winner, things started falling apart in Edo PDP.
The fear among informed observers is that if the current regime of defections persists, Edo would be heading for a one-party entity. Political scientists insist that such an arrangement hardly benefits any system. Aside denying the electorate the benefit of alternative choice, one-party arrangement does not make for competition that is seen as a catalyst to development in a democratic system.
Curiously, in reaction to the defections that are obviously depleting PDP ranks in the state, the state chairman of PDP, Dan Orbih, dismissed the trend as a non-issue.
“Those who defected have no political value,” Orbih scoffed.
Similar culture of disdain seems to await the defectors even in APC. A prominent chieftain of the party, who pleaded anonymity, described those defecting as ‘bread and butter’ politicians, who will not be accorded much trust in the party. “They have demonstrated that they have no principles. Their main concern is to be in the ruling party. We have taken note of them and will accord them appropriate positions in APC,” he vowed.
TheNiche, incidentally, learnt that Oshiomhole, who tricked the defectors out of their former party, needed them to pull support for APC candidates in the April 11 House of Assembly election in the state. The idea, it was further gathered, was to ensure that APC would be in total control of the House. But what would eventually be the fate of the defectors, especially as the 2016 governorship election in the state gradually approaches, remains to be seen.
