Before the news about the dismissal of their arch foe from his coveted position as the APC national chairman—the position that entered his head and made him believe that he was unstoppable—broke out, a video showing comrade Phillip Shaibu, Edo State Deputy Governor sort of bringing down the APC flag from his office had gone viral; Phillip, in the video showed strength, composure and relaxed. Before then, the video showing His Excellency Godwin Obaseki with Nyesom Wike had also gone viral.
The governor showed strength and exuded vitality; I could have mistaken him for a major general in the Nigerian Army because of his strong demeanor; he did not betray emotions. This was a man being hunted by a vicious and crude enemy and at that time not a few thought he was already in the bag-ready to be crucified. Typical of our nature and dirty politics, some indolent people were already jubilating his seeming downfall—regardless of the method applied; earlier, it was a somber Anslem Ojezua who had appeared on the television to lament the unrestrained use of federal power by Adams Oshiomole to hijack the party secretariat to another location.
While the traumatic experience lasted, Oshiomole had wielded the big stick, looking for any means to crush his arch enemy; he tried everything in the books including his baseless oratory powers, describing Obaseki as a snail that could be smashed at any time; once, when it became clear that Obaseki was adamant and couldn’t be easily taken out, Oshiomole resorted to rough tactics; he couldn’t be bothered if he was turning the law upside down and instead fast tracked his jungle approach. Obaseki, being a polished man from the Ivy League set up not used to these street warfare must have found himself stupefied as the pitman certificate holder turned up the heat.
Thus, it sounded incredulous, when, to such a polished man like Obaseki, they cornered him by manufacturing an evil charge of certificate forgery against him! Perhaps it was all a path designed by God to pave the way for his peaceful return to Osadebey house. All the while, few considered the wider implication of a sitting governor being disqualified from contesting a primary through the backdoor; no one considered the implications on the APC first time governors. They kept mute fearing the safety of their own position.
Now, in PDP, loyalty showed up for Obaseki with his deputy moving with him along with the entire 18 LGA chairmen. So what are their chances of edging out the APC? Bright, I tell you. Remember that Edo State is predominantly PDP State. The Senators from Edo South and Central are PDP; only Chief Alimikhena is from APC—Oshiomole’s Edo North where Comrade Phillip Shaibu also holds sway. Oshiomole can never win in Edo Central, the home State of the late icon Chief Tony Anenih. No one can easily forget how Oshiomole tore his reputation to shreds. Same in Edo South where he demystified the Igbinedions and made them look ordinary-though they may have reconciled.
Above all, the extreme loyalty displayed by comrade Phillip Shaibu is worth celebrating because he never wavered from his boss—the governor. He stood by him and displayed marvelous support, even putting his neck on the chopping block. But now, as fortune smiles, the hunter has become the hunted; it is obvious that those clamoring for a return to the dark days of the so called “stomach infrastructure” have met their waterloo. The immutable laws of nature has finally caught up with them.
