THE  political landscape of Edo State has become a hotbed of raw politics as we move towards the July 14, 2012 governorship elections in the state.  Unrefined politicking, characterised by vicious propaganda, mudslinging, falsehood, make-believe, gimmickry and brutal assassinations, has become the order of the day.

In the mindset of Governor Adams Oshiomhole, the battle is not between him and the candidates of the other parties but a foe called Chief Tony Anenih. He believes Anenih is the mountain that must be removed.  Many have wondered if Anenih is a candidate in the forthcoming election.  Some have even been compelled to ask if the Esan Chief was the immediate past governor of Edo State.

In short, the shadow of Anenih haunts Oshiomhole right from his office to his bedroom.  On all the roads renovated or in the schools re-roofed by the ACN government, there is a billboard erected with the message: “Tax payers money at work, no more for godfathers”.  This seems an apostolic declaration; but the company belonging to the Governor’s godfather in Lagos had renovated roads in Benin City at huge cost .

It is curious that the ACN government has been unable to show any evidence that Anenih benefited from a single contract in Edo State during the eight years Lucky Igbinedion was governor.  Had it been otherwise, the Comrade- Governor would have blown it open.  Similarly, there is no proof that any of Anenih’s children has benefited from an appointment in any of the three levels of government.

The truth is that Oshiomhole has leverage in terms of support as a result of the woeful performance of the previous PDP government in the state headed by Igbinedion.   The Comrade is also having the advantage of having emerged from the labour movement.  The misdemeanor of labor activists, especially the vociferous type who had won bargains for workers, is often sheltered from public knowledge.  Their wrongdoings are often discountenanced by the unintelligent who have made them cult heroes and who, at all times, see them as freedom fighters.

The most prized possession of Anenih is the power of silence.  He has not uttered a single word to the vituperations of Oshiomhole. It is this that is putting the Comrade-Governor on edge.  This is very daunting, especially when one is dealing with a master strategist like Anenih. Unfortunately, Oshiomhole’s extravagant zeal to rout the PDP has been his undoing.  He has taken some actions and made unfounded allegations which many believe are unbecoming.

Imagine the governor of a state running round the streets to protest an alleged sighting of INEC officers with voter registration materials in a state where he is the Chief Executive.  He led the protest with Okada and tricycle riders, street urchins and party lubbers behind him.  Had the PDP reported same to him (since he is the governor of everybody in the state), would he run round the streets with them?  In the ensuing chaos, two ACN members fought and one died. Couldn’t he have remained in his office to deal with the problem?

Since he renamed the street where Anenih’s house is located after Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde, his slain aide, he should have renamed the Osadebey Avenue where the government house is located after this dead ACN member.  A similar blunder was committed when a dumper truck hit Oshiomhole’s convoy, leading to the death of three people.  The Governor claimed the truck was sent by the PDP whereas it was discovered few days later that the truck belonged to an ACN member.

Oshiomhole, in his cleverness, has renovated five major roads terminating at the centre of Benin City.  He knows that all eyes would behold the work done on the roads, as if building road infrastructure is not a basic responsibility of government that should be taken for granted.   This political stunt has fooled many of my people, the Binis.  They forget that Biniland does not start and end with Benin City.  Biniland, which is about 56 percent of Edo State land, is housing seven local government areas and more than a half of the state’s population.

It is a tragedy that many of us know no other place than Benin City. We have abandoned our villages which are now farm settlements with mud buildings many of which have collapsed.  If Oshiomhole should construct (not renovate) a road in each of the six local government areas in his senatorial district, he would have surpassed by a wide margin his achievement on roads in Biniland.

Some Bini leaders believe they owe Oshiomhole a lot of gratitude.  They have made him a patron of a Bini heritage organisation, a gesture which I consider an abomination for the reason that he is not a Bini.  There is no tribe that is superior to the other but we should not desecrate our most revered tradition.  If there is a ceremony in Oshiomhole’s village and the Governor is present, priority will be given to a Bini man (even if he is 15 years old) to break the kola nut before the start of proceedings.  By so doing, they have honoured the Oba, themselves and all Edo people.  Edo people who are not Binis obey the Bini tradition better than us the Binis.  May God continue to bless them!

We should appreciate the Governor if he has done well but not grovel at his feet.  I felt ashamed when a friend told me my Chiefs had been bribed with jeeps and their children made personal assistants without offices.  There is no wisdom in telling the Binis to vote against their son who is a candidate for reasons other than incompetence.  I pray the Binis will not weep without tears when Oshiomhole will no longer need their votes.

It is unfortunate that we have over exposed our sacred palace to all manner of politicking.  I thank God that our revered monarch has put a stop to all this nonsense.  It is we, the Binis, who did the Governor a favour by massively voting (?) for him.  In Nigeria, voting for a governor into office makes the governor an emperor and a billionaire.  It should be noted that our governors owe us a duty of good performance.

The problem of Edo State should not be attributed to any imaginary godfather.  All the hungry politicians who decamped from the PDP to the ACN gave Anenih as reason for their action. Why did they not decamp when the PDP was in power?  If this man alone could shortchange all of them for 13 years, then, they should be ashamed of themselves.  It means they are all insignificant.

It is pertinent to inform the unwary that the total length of all the roads renovated in Benin City by the ACN government is not up to the length of the Benin bypass given to the city courtesy of  Anenih as minister. He also facilitated the construction of the Benin-Sapele express road and the completion of the Federal Secretariat in the city which had been abandoned since 1975.  You are free to hate or despise Anenih, but the fact remains that this is the gospel truth.

Someone once told me the bypass was done with Federal Government money.  I asked him if the renovated roads in Benin City were done with Oshiomhole’s pension benefits from the Nigeria Labour Congress.  Whichever way we look at it, Anenih’s reputation is safe in the hands of instructed people.

We should not be sentimental about the politics in Edo State. There is nothing extraordinary Oshiomhole has done.  The people are highly taxed and school fees have increased.  Few months ago, three female students of the state’s University at Ekpoma fell into a well and died while fetching water.  This is a shame. For the four years Oshiomhole has been in power, the local governments have been run using Caretaker Chairmen.  He collects all the money since all powers belong to him. This is happening in a state headed by a self-ordained apostle of democracy who chants at all time, “One man, one vote”.

I accept the fact that the previous PDP government led by Igbinedion failed, relatively, in Edo State.  He did not fail by virtue of his being a PDP member.  By the way, who can be more PDP than Oshiomhole?  Fact is, Igbinedion allegedly financed his election to power. It is for this reason he has never one day verbally insulted Igbinedion.

Mr. OSAGIE  JACOBS, a political analyst,  wrote from Ikare, Ondo State