In the Holy Book of Information that Brings Life Everlasting (BIBLE), the story regales of the convoluted poverty and miasma of deprivation that summarised the existence of Israelites sojourning in Egypt, as in the days of yore. It was not until the revolutionary moves of a divinely radicalised Moses, before the bandage fell. In droves and through tortuous journeys, the Israelites secured their freedom.
That, in perspective, brings help in dissecting the internal implosion wracking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, which ultimately resulted in the recent mass exodus of its human pillars, cutting across the 18 local government areas of the state, to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Naturally, such an amazing incident, coming at a crucial period of an impending governorship election, was dazing enough; such that it made remnants of stakeholders in the party to swoon giddily, bearing its tragic implications. No doubt, the coordinated exit of its strong members, as many as 30, and still counting, who have now defected to the ruling APC, has set about the ongoing hoopla and possible loss of traction.
Such was the concern raised in an article published by the party’s state publicity secretary, Mr. Kennedy Peretei last week, in what seemed a last-ditch move to prevent a former Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, from abandoning the party; when apparently all Mimiko’s political disciples had bid the PDP bye. In the milieu of rationalising the possible causes of the mass defection, however, the PDP image-maker, rather than marshal thoughts on damage-control measures, instead went on historical excursions with a strayed return trip to reality.
Nonetheless, it is gratifying that the PDP sees former Governor Mimiko as a formidable force and that his ultimate defection to the APC is best imagined as a swan-song for the PDP. At the risk of being classified as a peeper or busybody, it is now clear to the public that the pretension that Ondo PDP is one united family, has collapsed.
An APC that was once mocked by the opposition as raucous and unsettle has now, in the true spirit of democracy, overcome its challenges, through engagements, consultations, and cross-fertilisation of ideas, to give room for full participation of all members; especially in the aftermath of the last governorship primary election that produced Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa as winner.
The Ondo PDP, in sulking over its huge loss in the defection of its key figures to the APC, simply took to some disconcerting hysteria of stating that the defectors had contracted Ebola disease by their action. The party (PDP) in what is akin to a desperate search for a virgin among nursing mothers, also laboured hard to advance reasons why Governor Aiyedatiwa should not be elected come November, but ended up submitting jabbers.
The political ratings of the various personalities that vacated the PDP platform in belch can best be appreciated in the subsequent mass defection of their followers in their respective local government areas, thus putting the PDP aspiration of taking over the Alagbaka Government House through the next election, in clear jeopardy. Recall that those who departed the party anchored their grouse mainly on lack of internal democracy and the need to seek a platform where their opinions count.
Besides, these ex-PDP members are genuinely enthralled by the jaw-dropping achievements of Governor Aiyedatiwa, who in less than one year after taking up the mantle of leadership following the death of his boss-the late former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, bolstered the state’s fortune as though he had been in the saddle for four years.
In Ondo State, chirpy public workers are singing like canneries in praise of a Governor who immediately after assuming office, cleared backlog of unpaid salaries and allowances, a gesture that streamed to pensioners many who had begun to expect their reward only in heaven. Same way, the governor approved a special payment of monthly palliative allowance to government workers as soothing balm for the hardship arising from the removal of fuel subsidy.
Till date, public workers and school children enjoy transport subsidy as they glide in free bus shuttles provided by the state government, on work days.
To fend for those in the non-formal sector, such as petty traders, artisans, peasant farmers, and young entrepreneurs, Aiyedatiwa ordered that over N2 billion be set aside as soft loans to be disbursed, such that it will also rev up economic activities, especially in the grassroots.
Evidently too, construction work on roads and other socio-economic infrastructure are in progress across the state, as the restless Governor had mobilised hitherto unpaid contractors back to site, even as he awarded fresh contracts according to environmental peculiarities of various communities. In no distant time, the synthetised Akure City Stadium will be opened for use while several road projects are inching near commissioning.
The long list of Aiyedatiwa’s achievements in only eight months, if fully unfurled, could spike the apparently high blood pressure ailing the camp of the bellicose among those in the opposition. But they are forgiven, as they know not what they do.
*Fasua is State Director of Information, Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot Soldiers Independent Council (LACO-FSIC). He writes from Akure, Ondo State.
