BY EFE IGBINOVIA
I have been inundated with calls and messages for about two weeks now because of the activities leading to today of the official decamping of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and his team to the APC.
They have all enquired to know where my true loyalty lies; my true loyalty lies not with any man or woman, but with the people. The people who suffer under despots, and prosper under just rule. The people whose hearts yearn daily for quality governance devoid of pretence.
The people whose hearts we all aim to win. Those are the people my true loyalty lies and they are the reason I have made the decision to stand with the oppressed and not side with the oppressors.
I don’t begrudge our people who have decided to move to the ruling party. They have that right guaranteed under our constitution and they have done so for their political interest. It is important that we respect that.
Moreso, when it has become very difficult for any opposition party to win a staggered election in Nigeria. The recent Kogi and Bayelsa election is a case in point, where dead bodies littered polling booths, where INEC and security agencies worked hand in hand with the ruling party to foist their candidates on the people.
An election where a top opposition member was burnt to ashes and many lying wounded in various hospitals in a bid to grab power and rule over the people without conscience.
So, you can’t blame our people for loosing hope in bringing an opposition party to government under such demonic system, where political elites have done nothing to change the situation.
However, if we have to climb on a pile of dead bodies and wash away blood from the streets leading to government house in order to be in power, it is safe to say this isn’t the kind of power that I desire.
I am not naive to think that power is served à la carte. No! I know power is not given but taken but certainly not the Kogi way. Not with brute force laden with dead bodies but with wits, tacts, strategies, negotiations, maneuvering etc.
These are what makes the difference in advanced democracies that we so like to reference when it suits us but jettison the same principles when it doesn’t suit us. We wish our people the best in their quest.
Someone might ask; what kind of a follower are you?
The kind the people needs. I don’t believe anyone should be rewarded with blind loyalty. As long as I have my eyes, I’ll use them. God has given us a wonderful brian. I love to use mine.
The political situation in Edo state is gradually building up to what led Kogi to an election filled with Sorrow, tears and blood. The bitter and acrimonious crisis within the APC is leading us towards the precipice again. The brink of a dangerous situation. The government’s sole focus now is on hostilities.
Governance has taken a back seat and ignominy reigns Supreme. I urge all the principal players to sheathe their swords and put governance on the front burner again, otherwise a lot of people might not live to see the end of this fight. Lastly, Whichever party grabs power next year, whether it is my party the PDP, which I know we will or APC, we only hope we wont get there with blood on our hands, so that serving our people will be worth it.
– Mr. Efe Igbinovia was the Executive Assistant/Campaign Liaison and Relationships Manager to Pastor Ize-Iyamu in the last 2016 Edo Governorship Elections