Clockwise from top left: Dan Orbih, Godwin Obaseki, Nyesom Wike, and Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama…● PDP had a formidable force to challenge the APC to a landslide winning to Osadebe Avenue without Godwin Obaseki in 2020.
The APC had already a weak structure masterminded by former Governor Godwin Obaseki and his cohorts, due to his political fight with his political godfather, Sen. Adams Oshiomhole, which affected the party structure greatly that almost 60% of the APC leaders and members left the party with Mr. Godwin Obaseki. That alone made the APC weaker and PDP stronger than stronger before, giving PDP opportunity to a more landslide victory, because even if Obaseki had gone to Labour Party or form a new party, it wouldn’t have had the stamina to stand the PDP that had always been winning Presidential elections in Edo State as at then.
Sen. Adams Oshiomhole called Mr. Godwin Obaseki *”an ungrateful son”*, who couldn’t appreciate what has been done for him. Hence, he made it possible that Obaseki couldn’t get the APC 2020 Edo State Governorship Election ticket. He chased him out of the party.
The PDP due to its magnanimity decided to give Godwin Obaseki a waver just to help him out of political purgatory, so as not to go to political extinction, accepted him as the party Governorship candidate.
One thing we needed to know was that Rt. Hon. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama was our choice for candidate in PDP from Edo South that supposed to produce the Governorship candidate. His popularity and political pedigree gave him the chance of winning our popular votes and the crisis in APC created by Godwin Obaseki would have made it easier than easier before for Ogbeide-Ihama way to Osadebe Avenue in 2020. Though, it wasn’t easy, but Ogbeide-Ihama had to accept and work with Godwin Obaseki to ensure he was elected a Governor and so it was. Yet, Obaseki betrayed Ogbeide-Ihama and the leadership of the party.
Chief Dan Orbih and other Legacy PDP leaders and members gave unalloyed support to Godwin Obaseki and ensured the PDP was elected.
We all knew how Godwin Obaseki begged, knelt down and cried to be given the opportunity with the fear of going into political oblivion. So, he was embraced and picked from the gutter. We all supported him and gave him our best.
The aftermath became sour as Godwin Obaseki claimed PDP as his personal property after being elected a Governor. It was so irritating and an ungrateful act that he wanted to chase us, the Legacy PDP out of our family. A family that we all started building right from 1998. Where was Godwin Obaseki before 2020? I want to state unequivocally that Godwin Obaseki is the architect of PDP’S woe, who needs to tender an unreserved apology publicly to the leadership of the party. Like Barr. Nyesom Wike would say: *”Obaseki is a serial betrayal.”*
In my write-up yesterday, one myopic social media urchin challenged me that why is now that I speak against Godwin Obaseki. I referred her to my write-up from 2021 to 2024 about how I have been criticizing Godwin Obaseki. But due to her emotional predisposition, she took it personal and refused to do her research before one of my team members chased her into hiding. It takes skills to be a social media influencer; it is not about the noise you make on social media. Well, that aside.
I have always been against Godwin Obaseki because he destroyed our party structure and insulted the leadership of the party with disdain. And I have always spoken against him.
The Legacy PDP is still strong, despite the fact that some leaders and members made their choices of Edo State Governorship candidates between Monday Okpebholo and Asue Ighodalo.
The challenge PDP had in the just concluded Edo State Governorship Election was due to Godwin Obaseki impunity and lack of respect for the leadership of the party. *Like Chief Dan Orbih would say: “Politics is about running a marathon race, not 100 meters and you must have the stamina to get to the finishing end.”*
One thing for sure is that Godwin Obaseki didn’t possess the stamina to sustain PDP in 2024, rather he only made noise without action. This alone was a suicidal.
*To be continued…
■ Eromosele Ehisuan is the State Coordinator, Edo PDP Youth Media Team (EPDPYMT).
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