2019 primaries root of Edo APC crisis – Ihonvbere

Prof Julius Ihonvbere is a leading chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State. A former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), he is currently the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education. In this interview with ‘Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor, he spoke on the crisis rocking his state’s chapter of the ruling party. Ihonvbere, who represents Owan Federal Constituency of Edo State at the National Assembly, also spoke on alleged plots to sack Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of APC, concluding that those behind the plots are doing so for their selfish interests and not in the interest of the party. Excerpts

Beyond mere rumours, as a chieftain of the ruling APC do you believe there is a plot to sack Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of your party. If so, what is your position on the matter?

Plot or no plot, we all know where the APC was before Comrade Oshiomhole became the National Chairman. If he was not our chairman, we would have had problems in the 2019 Presidential Elections. He repositioned the party. Not surprisingly, many people who were benefiting from the old order are now complaining and disparaging his achievements and deliberately refusing to acknowledge his achievements even when they are glaring. So for me those who are attacking Oshiomhole have absolutely nothing to do with the leadership of the party. It is more about strategic positioning for 2023.

First, those who want to come back for second term want a rubber stamp chairman in charge. Secondly, the governors who are on their second term and want to gun for the presidency are also there. Then there are those who for some reasons, do not want to understand the essential ingredients of democracy. Before now, people just operated on the basis of politics and raw power. They used it to govern and used it to accumulate. Many of them are doing the party more harm than good in all these monies they are spending to fight the National Chairman. Some of them cannot give money to their constituents but are now using money to hold nocturnal meetings all in the bid of getting rid of Oshiomhole. The good thing is that majority of APC governors are with Oshiomhole; the state party chairmen are with him and majority of the party members appreciate the hard work he has put into rebuilding APC.

The fight is all about personal interest, personal ambition, strategic positioning, especially those who are looking at the 2023 presidency even when we are just in 2019 and President Buhari just got his 2020 budget approved by the National Assembly. Only God knows who will be alive to run for Presidency in 2023 or whatever position. There is a governor who has bragged that Oshiomhole will not be there for his primaries. I am sure God will not answer that kind of prayers. All these are not about Oshiomhole. It has to do with the ambitions, expectations, anticipation of those who have political interest for 2023.

The governor as part of his explanation severally said attempts by Oshiomhole to play godfather is the root of the problem. Are you refuting his claim?

I have been around in Edo politics for a very long time; much more longer than most of these people. I know for sure that Obaseki was elected through the sacrifices, energy and campaign mastery of Oshiomhole. Then, there was peace in Edo. Even someone like myself worked with him to help set up structures when he became governor. I know at that time that Oshiomhole didn’t pressurise Obaseki in any way. We don’t even see him in Government House. I know for sure that Oshiomhole donated only one commissioner, contrary to the lies that he nominated all the commissioners. I know for sure that the strategic direction of the government was not influenced at all by Oshiomhole because I organised over 35 workshops, seminars on each ministry, each agency and brought in experts to reposition the ministries.

I was Chairman of Strategic Planning Committee. We drew up the programmes for all the commissioners and in all of these; I never had one conversation with Oshiomhole on what we should do. So the whole idea that he is playing godfather is arrant nonsense and lies from the pit of hell. They are only doing that wickedly to rubbish the name of the man that made him governor. This crisis started with the primaries conducted in 2019. The constitution showed very clearly that it is not the governor that conducts primaries; it is the NWC. And when Obaseki proceeded to organise primaries without the approval of the NWC, it is only normal that Oshiomhole will cancel it in order to show that he was not favouring his own state. And it was redone. Today, Obaseki is afraid that some House of Assembly members will impeach him. It is guilty conscience that was troubling him because he was not involved in their campaign. He did not support them and they won.

He fears they will impeach him. But that was never on the table. For instance, I am in the House of Reps today. He never supported me. But even as at today, nobody is talking about impeaching Obaseki. That story was sold to him by his own internal enemies who said they want to make money from him since he said he is not going to spend money. So, he proceeded to violate the Nigerian Constitution by organising an inauguration at about 9:30pm with only five members and two others who were abducted to the venue. The proclamation was not properly disseminated to all members who were elected. They proceeded to set up a House of Assembly. But you cannot build something on nothing. You cannot build justice on injustice and what he did ab initio was wrong. That is the immediate cause of current crisis.

The constitution is very clear; the minimum for a House of Assembly to seat is 24. They don’t have 24 there and I believe that the only way to resolve the matter is for Obaseki to do the right thing now. They sacked everybody in the system for being loyal to Oshiomhole or loyal to anybody who is close to Oshiomhole; innocent people being penalised. People’s houses marked for demolition; people who have businesses and are opposed to them, their hotels or offices were shut down. Now the worst part of it, now in Edo State, those who want to prove loyalty to the governor are busy visiting untold violence on people like they did in Owan East where they used axes on people who were merely holding APC meeting. Members of the party are being punished because they want to demonstrate to the custodians of power in Edo that they are loyal.

The National Chairman never asked the House of Assembly members to come to Abuja. They ran to Abuja after they were attacked where they were holding meeting in Edo by thugs led by the governor’s CSO. So they moved to Abuja for the safety of their lives. These guys are not kids. They are all politicians, former commissioners, business men. So, they know the political terrain and are capable of dealing with the situation independently. Unfortunately, they carried this crisis into the national level and are now wasting public funds to try to upstage the National Chairman; fabricating all kinds of stories which they said with careless abandon.

A lot of observers are worried that the crisis can cost APC the state, especially if the governor dumps the party and moves elsewhere. What’s your opinion on this permutation?

Only Edo people will decide who leads them. But those supporting Obaseki by threatening Oshiomhole should go and find out what Governor Obaseki scored in his ward, LGA and senatorial district during the election of the President. He lost his ward, LGA and senatorial district. Ogbeide Ihama, the PDP member in the House of Reps today defeated him in his Oredo LGA. So anybody ascribing that political strength to him is making a mistake. We know Obaseki in Edo State. He is a governor that was elected by the people, many of those who elected him are regretting today because he does not understand governance. How can you go to the papers to say you want to retire all the leaders, the very people who brought you into office? He claimed he does not want to share Edo money but he is sharing it today for thugs, social media men and women; spending it to remove the National Chairman.

He said people were asking him for money; we have told him to name those asking him for money. In any case, it is not even a crime for people to ask the governor they elected for money. It is left for the governor to manage the expectations of the people in a way to meet the demands and needs of the people. He is not the only governor in Nigeria. On the rumour that he is planning to defect, there is no problem because if you feel you cannot meet your ambition in any party, you are free to defect. I was once in PDP and when I felt the PDP has no future in Edo, I came to join APC. So, I don’t think the question of him leaving the APC will make any big difference. If he stays in the party, he is welcome to remain. But the second term ticket is not automatic for anybody. It has to be earned. And it is the way you treat your party members that matters. You must show respect, appreciation and social justice. If you show respect to the structure you met on ground, you will have no problem. It is the leaders who will beg you to continue. Nobody will come out to say they want to contest with you. But when you have not been doing this, many people will come out to challenge you.

Do you think Edo people understand and appreciate all these arguments and will not dump the party because of this crisis?

The good part is that the majority of the people in Edo know very well the political situation. Today, people vote Oshiomhole’s party because he is a house hold name; let no body be deceived. The people of Edo have seen APC perform under Oshiomhole and they will continue to vote APC. Today, even the remnants of PDP are joining us this weekend because of the leadership provided by Oshiomhole. So, if for example Obaseki decides to join PDP, the people he will take to PDP will not be more than the PDP leaders joining us now. So, we are home and dry. We don’t have any problem at all; we are home and dry. Even those who are with him today, they are there because they need a meal ticket. When the come comes to become, we shall know who is who with apologies to K.O. Mbadiwe. I know that so far, the confidence level in the National Chairman remains very high and solid. There is nothing that one governor can do to remove the National Chairman. Secondly, it makes absolutely no sense that one ward, one local government or one state can arrogate to themselves the power of removing the National Chairman of a party; it is the greatest joke of the century. This is why I will continue to appeal to our people to remain calm. Edo will remain in good hands with APC in charge; whatever happens.