HOWEVER, while he is spending money, luring PDP members to join the ACN more ACN members, tired of Oshiomhole’s dictatorial tendencies, are joining the PDP on daily basis because they have realised that there is a greater measure of internal democracy in the PDP.

But must he destroy the budding democratic culture that Edo people and Nigerians in general are trying to imbibe since 1999 on the altar of parochial political agenda?  His bullish approach aimed at intimidating political opponents, it is generally believed, would not help the Edo polity.

There are reports that Oshiomhole has recruited a number of ex-militants as his assistants.  He must, indeed, be applauded for providing economic empowerment for them.

But the fear is that these people, as things are going, could be used for some untoward electoral acts such that the “one man, one vote” mantra in Edo could become “one thug, one vote”.

Indeed, it is evident that the people of Edo State have come to the grim reality that a dictator is very well on the loose and it will take some serious collective re-awakening to interrogate the motives that are propelling the destructive acts.

One is also compelled to solicit some external interventions in the political affairs of Edo so that the reckless abrogation of constitutional order does not eventually elicit some stubborn resistance which could culminate in crisis that is capable of affecting the national polity like a virus.

There is, in fact, a sense in which one relates to and agrees with the suggestion by the Edo State PDP Caucus in the National Assembly in its October 26, 2010 open letter to President Goodluck Jonathan (published in the Vanguard and Tribune of Thursday, October 28, 2010) on the dissolution of the 18 councils in the State that the Federal Government should intervene.

Specifically, the caucus urged the President to use his good offices to call on the Governor of Edo State to respect the rule of law and the Constitution of Nigeria in line with his (Oshiomhole’s) repeated preachments.

In addition, the caucus suggested that “one way to deal with this unconstitutional act is for the Federal Minister of Finance and the Accountant-General of the Federation to be directed to stop forthwith any monthly allocation to the 18 councils in Edo State pending the restoration of the democratically elected chairmen to their offices”.

What is important in the appeal of the caucus was the specific demand that reasonable moral force be brought on the State Government to immediately restore constitutional order in the 18 councils until December 16, 2010 when their tenure(s) would expire.

But Oshiomhole is determined not to budge.  The PDP has headed for the court, predictably, and the dictatorship in Edo is happy that it is having its way knowing full well that there is no time for judicial remedy since the wheel of justice grinds so slowly.

There is anxiety in the state.  All well-meaning indigenes of Edo know full well that the  out-of-control political stratagems being employed by Oshiomhole will certainly have their debilitating consequences on the State and its people.

Mr. Igwe, a lawyer, writes from Owerri, Imo State.