Orbih, Now A Qualified Elder Statesman, Iyasere Opines.

By Elempe Dele 

When my phone rang last night, it was the former Publicity Secretary of PDP during the Igbinedion/Osunbor era, Prince Francis Omo-Osunde Iyasere on the line. It was quiet late but as one of my adopted uncles, I couldn't muster the courage to reject the call. I picked. He said to me, Chief Dan Orbih has fortunately become an elder statesman from his words and actions.  He now went on to explain to me what Chief said at Uromi that endeared him more to him. 

"You see, Chief Dan Orbih, whom I am very close to, has endeared himself to me more than ever from his comments in Uromi recently. He said he campaigned in 192 wards in the state to make sure PDP comes to power in the state, and that he will not be part of those who will want to bring the government down. You know this has been my position, and we always discuss about it when I see some posts. Yes, some of our people and party members are not happy with the turn of events, which of course is understandable, but that we are in power and in government is something we should all strive to sustain at all cost. We cannot because of anger burn the house we suffered to build, or throw the baby and the bathwater away, no politician of repute does that. We must maintain decorum in handling these issues so that it won't snowball to a loser/loser situation." 

The former Member of the Presidential Committee on Peace and Conflict Resolution in the Niger-Delta and Chairman of Edo State Committee on Peace and Conflict Resolution, Prince Iyasere, added that the situation that led to APC loosing both Rivers and Zamfara States were issues of internal wrangling where none of the feuding parties agreed to put down their spears and arrows.

"Let's learn from these two states that fell easily because of internal wrangling. Let's all individually sue for peaceful coexistence and do away with the notion of old and new PDP members, which I do not want to accept, but as returning members because most of those that came with the governor were members of the PDP. For a example, Comrade Philip Shaibu; the SSG, Barr Osarodion Ogie; Hon Monday Osaigbovo; Hon Osaigbovo Iyoha amongst order were visible members of the PDP before they exited to form the ACN based on their conviction then that PDP might not give what they required or desired, which was within their legal rights. What is important now going forward is that they are back to their original family.

"I appeal to all those who came back to join the party and even the ones that never left to be ready to imbibe the political philosophy of Chief Dan Osi Orbih, which is that he cannot destroy the party and government he helped to build even if he was unnecessarily humiliated and demeaned by the same institution he use the instrumentality of PDP to campaign for in 192 wards across Edo State. This can only come from a true party leader whom I have in my mind ordained as an elder statesman."

The versatile strategist concluded his phone call with me by clearly stating unequivocally that the Party/Government relationship is like mother/child relationship. Just as a child cannot be seen fighting the mother, the government cannot be seen fighting Party.

 "I want to seize this opportunity to thank Barr  Osarodion Ogie, the SSG, for his role of stabilizing, cooling nerves and above all,  using the mystical key of diplomacy in bridging what could have before now, be uncontrollable crisis in Edo State PDP which of course, should have made the whole crisis a material of campaign of calumny by the opposition party in the State. He deserves all the commendation necessary.  I also wish to, on behalf of the Party, thank the government for appointing the Edo PDP Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, as a commissioner nominee into the PDP led government. Yes, many are of the view that his appointment is only one out of hundreds but it should be noted that not everyone can be a government appointee. What should be most important to us as party men and women should be that we have a PDP government in Edo State, as against when we were in the opposition,  I think we can gain more as we go forward."