Oshiomhole: Taming The Lions!

By SOC Okenwa

Some days ago many discerning Nigerians, at home and abroad, were stupefied when breaking news online had it that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the embattled Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party was “arrested” and “interrogated” by the Department of State Services (DSS). Reportedly he was quizzed for hours and was granted ‘bail’ only for him to jet out of the country in a jiffy. Following the encounter with the state secret police operatives in Abuja bothering on the fallout of the APC states congresses Oshiomhole had decided upon regaining his ‘freedom’ to go to the US to see his wife and take a short break from the heat from the APC kitchen.

For the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Oshiomhole had run away thereby constituting himself into a glorified ‘fugitive’! They even went on to insinuate that in the event of his failure to come back soon enough then the INTERPOL should be petitioned for them to track him down wherever he was for possible extradition and persecution! Persecution for which crime, we do not know!

Wonders shall never cease in the interesting politics Nigeriana. In this election season an insight of what we are going to expect in next year’s general elections is hereby foretold. Blood would definitely flow. Bones would be broken and ritual killings would be on the increase — all tailored towards the acquisition of power and its appurtenances by professional politicians of fortune inhabiting our national space.

Professional riggers are busy perfecting their nefarious acts ahead of the crucial polls in the FCT and the other states’ capitals across the federation. Naira rain and Dollar bazaar are expected in illegal vote (mass-conscience) buying. Bags of rice and fertilizer, frozen chickens, turkeys and vegetable oils would be distributed a-gogo.

Comrade Oshiomhole has since returned to the country and he has been firing from all cylinders. One: yes, he agreed he had a “conversation” with the DSS operatives prior to his brief flight across the Atlantic. Two: he was neither arrested nor bailed by the Kogi state Governor, Yahaya Bello. He went there on his own volition, perhaps invited by the Bichi-led folks. Three: he never bolted away for whatever reason. Four: he never went to Paris, France and never met Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yonder. He simply went briefly to America to see his wife and back. Five: the problem of the fallout of the party’s guber primaries in Imo, Ogun and Zamfara states was tantamount to a storm in a tea cup. And it is manageable.

Comrade Oshiomhole, as the embattled APC ruling party national Chairman, must have learnt the hard way that taming the executive and legislative ‘lions’ inside the APC is quite a harder task than say, taming the godfatherly lions in Benin City in particular and Edo State in general. As Executive Governor of Edo state for 8 eventful years he used executive gubernatorial powers guaranteed by the constitution to tackle and overcome the late Anthony Anenih and Gabriel Igbinedion. Dealing with Governors Okorocha, Amosun and Yari is a different ball game altogether.

In Imo State in south-east Nigeria Governor Rochas Okorocha is behaving like the proprietor of APC in Imo state. And therefore whatever he wants must be given to him on a platter of gold! He has sworn that no other person is qualified to succeed him except Uche Nwosu, his former Chief of Staff and son-in-law. The APC hierarchy and Oshiomhole are averse to such nepotic imposition. And there lies the problem. For the APC at the national level therefore the official candidate for the party in Imo state remains Senator Hope Uzodinma and not Uche Nwosu as Okorocha would wish for.

Ahmed Gulak, the Chairman of the Panel that conducted the governorship primary in Imo state had recently confessed that he was offered a whooping 2 million Dollars (!) bribe for him to throw the poll and play the game but he declined! He equally narrated how his team were nearly kidnapped in Owerri upon their arrival and immediately after the voting process had been concluded. Gulak refused doggedly to play the game and Okorocha was livid!

Governor Rochas Okorocha is desperate for something post-2019. He wants to impose a stooge (Nwosu) on Imolites to cover up his grand corruption and misdeeds in power. Senator Ozodinma, Ihedioha and Araraume as Governor post-Okorocha would definitely probe the Rochas’ mess and expose them at the fullest of time. Hence the desperation, the intimidation, the manipulation and what have you.

In Ogun state, Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s desperate ambition to play a glorified godfather a la Okorocha by imposing his anointed candidate was thwarted by Oshiomhole in apparent consonance with the APC apparatchiks in Abuja. And since his wish and will were dealt a deadly blow in favour of principles and party discipline Amosun has invented what he called “offshore imposition”. He has deployed his caustic verbal arsenal to try to take down and take out Oshiomhole and co. Thus far he has been the most virulent and acerbic in his attacks against the former Labour leader.

Read also: Oshiomhole lives to run away another day‎

Idem in Zamfara State where Governor Abdulaziz Yari is desirous of foisting a prefered candidate on his population as his successor. The three of them are plotting seriously for Oshiomhole to be disgraced out of office since he has ‘shortchanged’ them!

Like the controversial Comrade however we make bold to declare here that we could not understand how and why the intra-party activities and/or acrimonies should be of utmost concern to the DSS. The ultimate question remains: Did President Buhari expressly approve of the DSS intervention? And if ‘no’ who, then, did? Or is Yusuf Magaji Bichi now playing Lawal Daura?

Comrade Oshiomhole’s intemperate outbursts and his inflexible approach to issues have combined to fetch him more ‘enemies’ sooner than many had expected. Allegations and counter-allegations about financial impropriety with respect to the concluded party primaries led to the alleged intervention by the DSS.

But make no mistake about it all: in Nigeria political parties have no rigid agendas or ideologies but selfish interests and investments and how best to harvest such investments in electoral seasons. So what is happening to the APC is not surprising to keen observers of the Nigerian dirty politics. Okorocha, Amosun and Yari want to recoup their political investments and they are meeting stiff resistance by the short khaki-wearing uncouth man from Edo state.

From all indications the ruling APC coalition is a political house on fire! Indeed, there is existential crisis raging within. And the combustible ‘macho-man’ persona of Adams Oshiomhole in his uncompromising best element has not helped matters. Matters have gotten to a stage where leadership is required to tame the rampaging lions before the diminutive Edo man is devoured alive! But that leadership is unfortunately missing in action.

President Buhari who ought to bring his presidential force to bear on the matter has not demonstrated, thus far, any capacity to lead. And there goes a fall before the real electoral fall!

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