Fides Media Living the Faith
By Nze Nwabueze Akabogu (JP)
The recent victory of Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State at the Supreme Court in the protracted certificate forgery case has finally been put to rest as the Apex Court had dismissed the allegation of certificate forgery case against the embattled Governor by his political adversaries in the APC, spearheaded by the disgraced erstwhile National Chairman of the Party, Adams Oshiomwhole and the defeated APC candidate in the last Gubernatorial Election in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
The lastest case was one in the series of cases brought against Governor Obaseki right from the election petition tribunal up to the Apex Court, the supreme court, on the alleged certificate forgery committed by Governor Obaseki.
It is needless to emphasise the point that these unwarranted and unnecessary litigations had adversely affected the day to day running of the State government as these cases obviously distracted Governor Obaseki from settling down to the business of governance after the most acrimonious and violent campaigns in the history of Edo State.
Governor Obaseki had won a clear and decisive victory at the polls despite the machinations and campaigns of outrageous calumny against him by his estranged “God father” Oshiomwhole who made spirited efforts to deny him the APC ticket for a second term in office in spite of his excellent performances during his first term.
The former opposition party in the State, the PDP promptly cashed in on the political quagmire and immediately offered Governor Obaseki the much needed political platform to contest the election and that singular action by the PDP was the saving grace for Governor Obaseki who was almost on the verge of losing power and going into political oblivion.
The APC candidate Pastor Ize-Iyamu had suffered the most devastating defeat in his political career after he had boasted that his victory was already assured as he was destined to occupy the “Osadebay Government House” Benin City on his delusion of expected victory.
The APC big wigs led by the “God father” and “Political Emperor” of Lagos politics Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the “Jagaban” had rolled out their campaign machinery for the political onslaught and were determined to replicate the Lagos political tsunami in Edo State where the former Governor of Lagos State Ambode was humiliated out of office as he was unjustly denied the APC ticket for a second term in office by the one and only “Jagaban”, and “Emperor” of Lagos Politics.
The outcome of the Edo Election which is now history has apparently dealt a devastating blow to the myth of political “God fatherism” and permanently destroyed the invincibility and over bloated ego of “Asiwaju” Bola Tinubu who had grossly miscalculated the political atmosphere in Edo State and proceeded with his mad ambition of extending his sphere of influence and spreading his political tentacles to Edo State.
But to the utter shock and great chagrin of Asiwaju and his fellow co-traveller Oshiomwhole, the Edo voters had demonstrated in clear and unmistakable terms that Edo State could never be Lagos State, where Asiwaju is greatly revered and worshiped as an “Alpha and Omega” and an all-knowing “Emperor” of Lagos State. Both Asiwaju and his political associate Adams Oshiomwhole had since been licking their self inflicted wounds after the Edo State political debacle.
On the other hand, the political future of their political “God Son”, Ize-Iyamu seems to be hanging in the balance even as his political career appears extremely precarious and bleak owing to his unenviable records in his past political activities.
It is gratifying to observe however, that Governor Obaseki had demonstrated uncommon act of political brinkmanship and sagacity by outrightly rejecting the recent rather hypocritical congratulatory messages from his former political foes, Adams Oshiomwhole and his “God son” Pastor Ize-Iyamu.
These rather belated congratulatory messages could rightly be regarded as “a Greek gift” grudgingly offered and which should never be taken seriously by any right thinking person even as the duo had mischievously waited until the final outcome of their ill-conceived litigations at the Supreme Court where they had fought relentlessly and desperately to overturn Governor Obaseki’s decisive victory at the polls.
At best the congratulatory messages were uncalled for and absolutely in bad faith. If both Oshiomwhole and Pastor Ize-Inyamu whom Oshiomwhole himself had previously described as quote “a fake Pastor who could not be entrusted with public funds” end of quote had meant well for the good people of Edo State, they would have duly respected the people’s mandate and allowed Governor Obaseki to settle down to the business of governance and providing the people with the much needed dividends of democracy.
Now that they had completely exhausted all the legal options or remedies available to them to overturn Governor Obaseki’s well deserved victory at the Supreme Court, it is rather too late in the day for them to send their hypocritical and highly suspicious congratulatory messages to the indomitable Governor Obaseki who had convincingly defeated them at the polls despite their highly negative and vicious campaigns against the people’s Governor.
The noble act of wisdom had demanded that Adams Oshiomwhole and Pastor Ize-Iyamu should have kept their peace and maintained golden silence at the end of all the election litigations rather than attempting to re-open old wounds and thereby sadly reminding the Edolites the unfortunate events of the sordid past in the State.
Finally, this writer wish to convey his heartfelt congratulations to the indefatigable Governor Obaseki and his trusted and dependable Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu on their well deserved final victory at the Supreme Court which had validated their earlier victory through the sacred mandate by the people of Edo State.
It is said that to whom much is given much is expected and it is the wish and expectations of Edolites that Governor Obaseki and his able Deputy Governor Shaibu will continue in their noble efforts and justify the sacred mandate given to them by the people of Edo State. They should therefore never betray the people’s trust and confidence already reposed in their exemplary and God fearing leadership.
Nze Nwabueze Akabogu (JP) is a Regular Public Affairs
Commentator and Analyst.
He wrote from Enugwu-Ukwu, Anambra State.
G.S.M: 08074942671, 07037256684
E-mail: nzenwabuezeakabogu@yahoo.com