Owere Dickson Imasogie
* Says we own the Papa’s land!
Owere Dickson Imasogie is a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State. In this exclusive interview, he spoke to our Correspondent, Edosa Okunbor in Benin, on what commentators would call: on going cold war in the Party between the Governor Obaseki led Group and the old PDP: Legacy Group. Also, he bares his thoughts on other issues of importance as they affects the Party and the people.
Full Text!
Recently, a lot has happened in your Party: the PDP in Edo State that we now have the ‘Legacy PDP’ and New PDP. Please can you tell us the difference between these two and the reality on ground?
We are all aware that in June 2020, His Excellency Governor Godwin Obaseki joined the PDP from the APC. He came through our leaders in Abuja; but for the interest of the Party, we who owns the Papa’s land and have been suffering for the Party, decided to accommodate him, and as a result, there was no serious or proper integration.
Like you are also aware, we discussed with our would – be Governorship candidate:House of Representatives member, Ihama Ogbeide then, and the Governor in Port-harcourt; the agreement reached was not made open to every member of the Party though we were not interested.
Since his coming, the closet person to him in ranking, is the deputy Governor; Philip Shaibu.
I know the role leaders like me played, calming down the anger of our supporters who initially refused to permit both the Governorship and deputy slots to go to the Obaseki’s led group. But looking at it, some of us thought it would be a disservice to that boy; Philip Shaibu because he became enemy to his mentor; Adams Oshiomhole by supporting our son: Godwin Obaseki. We eventually allowed him and we won the election.
I had talked to the Governor that 80 percent of his followers are not interested in the PDP but what they can benefit from him and today, I have been proven right!
Even the deputy! if he can open his mouth to say: he only escorted the Governor to the PDP; weighing that statement; it means he is not a PDP member, yet they are crying we did not accommodate them.
Imagine! All the appointments made by the Governor are for the New PDP and those who betrayed the old PDP known as the Legacy Group.
I remember telling Chris Enehikhare, the former publicity Secretary of the Party that if the Governor decides to give slots to the PDP, we will not give him because he is a sell out and true to type; the Governor chose them himself or is’t Omololu and Braimoh? These three belongs to the Legacy Group. After that you have the special Advisers, Senior Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistant in the Wards.
If you can still remember, I led Edo State to register the PDP in Abuja in 1998 and today, I have not moved an inch from the Party yet, I have not benefitted.
I deligently followed our leader; a noble man; Chief Tony Anenih of blessed memory, we had quarrel with Lucky Igbinedion and when OBJ came to campaign at the Ogbemudia Stadium, he did mention that some persons are PDP in the day time and ACN in the night. He was referring to our then Governor; Lucky Igbinedion. Our leader and some of us fell out with the then Governor in the handling of the Party just as history is repeating itself; same thing with Osunbor who also betrayed Anenih and the Party, we followed our leader. Today the same thing is happening, Governor Obaseki is saying he will not recognize the owners of the Party; PDP is a leaders’ Party!
You may think there is trouble; there is none whether through annoyance or otherwise, we decided he has filled all the positions in Government. The only one I concede to him, is the position of the secretary which is his right and responsibility while that of the Chief of Staff belongs to the Party as he is the link between the Party and Government. The same thing with the position of the deputy Governor which the Party also has no input.
Yes, he may claim the Party Chairman is with him: the Governor; but is the Party Chairman actually in control? You have 14 members in the State Working Committee, and he is alone. Is that the person you will say is in charge of the Party? Aziegbemwin is the only lone member of the Legacy Group with the Governor for reasons best known to him, while the remaining 13 members are with the Party.
And when a committee was constituted to remove him, we had emissaries from those close to the Governor to forgive him and we thought he had learnt his lessons; that was why he was returned.
But see what he is doing now! The other day he was seated when the New PDP boasted that the Governor is the number one leader in the State; I don’t know where they got that information. I even asked Aziegbemwin if he is now operating two different PDP Constitution?
Ascribing leadership to the Governor is a mere name; if it is in the Constitution, they should then show it. Anybody can answer any name but it should not be quoted to be in the Constitution. For example; I call myself a super leader which in all modesty, I have merited.
I hold the opinion that until Aziegbemwin quits that position, the Party will not be stable. We are not against coming together but anything that will breach the Constitution, we will not be involved. The Constitution is our Bible hence if we must come together, we should follow the Bible. He has filled all the positions in Government with his people and the only left over; why is he trying to share with us? Why did it not occur to him before this time that we are badly cheated and treated? The earlier he realizes that the better for him and the Party.
Sir, so are you saying that it was not your Party that nominated Uwa Osunbor as Special Adviser?
No! The Governor has the right to appoint anyone he so wishes and he has appointed those he wants to work with and we are not annoyed. If he choose to do it the way he likes and the Party is saying you must also follow the Party’s Constitution for all other thing, why is he annoyed with us? Do I quarrel with him that he did not consult me before appointing commissioners? Do you know that most of the commissioners so appointed like Braimoh for example; did not pass through the screening? Or are you not aware that the Party sent nominations and most were not considered? Instead, he took those he wants but it is his right! So, it is also the right of the Party to use the Constitution to nominate its candidates.
All is now set for the State Local Government Councils Election. As it is now, which of the camps of the PDP will sell form and screen aspirants?
I don’t want you to ask which camp because we have one PDP whether at the national or State. It is just the little disagreement here hence we have old and new PDP. People are in charge of the Party. You are a journalist and you should know.
Okay, flowing that question, recently, Iyorcha Ayu the national Chairman of your Party was in Beinin and going into memory lane; he did mentioned that it was the same crisis that made the Party to lose the State to the APC and now history is repeating itself. So how well people like you who are founding members are listening to that advise and trying to mend fences?
First, the national Chairman was even wrong. Think about this; when Oshiomhole was here, most of the elections, is there anyone the PDP did not truimph? You know we are typical people. After the opposition winning in Central, it demoralized the people that they were no longer keen even the Council elections, we were not interested because they had the INEC and everything and we know what it obtained but it is not going to happen this time, because one; the Governor is in the PDP which is supposed to be the Government in power.
I want you to address this issue: as things are now, there is seemingly still no peace in the PDP, Edo State Chapter and the elections are here. Against this backdrop, how well do you think will be the performance of the Party?
Like I said earlier, was there anytime the APC were united and defeated the PDP in past elections how much more they are now divided? Or you think Obaseki will go work for the APC? There is a saying in Benin: whether it is white or red goat, they are all meat to the lion. So, Obaseki is in PDP faction or not; the so called faction is even nearer to him than the APC that even wants to cut his neck.
From the election time table EDSIEC released, all the political parties in the State have been given just three weeks to prepare for the Councils election. Is that not running fowl to the electoral laws as they were?
The Governor has the right to send a bill to the State Legislature to amend any of the Councils’ laws but those who are politicians will wonder why is he doing this? For me I think he wants to use it to negotiate with the Legacy Group. But we are not interested because we know he cannot write names and if they say tommorow there is nomination for Council election, the same procedure in the PDP in line with the Party’s Constitution; it is what we will still follow; they cannot stay in the Government House and nominate candidates for the PDP, they will go to the field and we will wait for Aziegbemwin to come with his fake list. What he has done, is for a purpose and not targeted at other political parties. He wants to tie our hands.
Are you saying the Legacy Group is not ready to mend fences with the Governor led Group?
I don’t know what type of fences you are talking about. He has taken all the positions in the Government and we are now going into election where the Constitution provides how a candidate can emerge. Do you see any person stopping his own Group from being an aspirant? Are they not buying forms?
From which of the Secretariat?
It is from the Party! If you hear anyone buying form from the Airport road; go find out, it is not the PDP Secretariat.
But the Airport road Office is the PDP’s E- registration Centre?
Please in a week’s time, come discuss the E- registration with me.
Hello Sir, the Governor recently declared: if you are not comfortable with my leadership; you can leave the Party! What is your take on this?
First and foremost; I don’t know which Party he was referring because he is not the owner of PDP. I led the State to register the PDP in Abuja in 1998 and I have not moved a foot to go to another Party since then despite all the maltreatment given me. Whereas someone without any power would say; he is the leader, if you are not comfortable, leave the Party for me. If you were to be the one, will you take such order?
But he has said he is not leaving; good, we are all in the same Party!
Against the prevailing situation, there is this saying: a house that is divided against itself, cannot stand!
Who says we are divided? Is’t the people who escorted the Governor to the PDP that are dividing the Party? If they are not PDP, they should go, and ensure the real PDP members are left alone. If you follow your Governor, does that make you a Party man?
It is about two years the Governor led Group joined the PDP and it is shocking to know they have still not been integrated into the Party.
Some of them including the deputy Governor said they escorted the Governor to the PDP. I don’t know, you should ask the Chief Leader: deputy Governor whether his name is not on the register in his Ward? And if not, why did he not register because the Party’s Constitution say; you can only be registered in your Ward. Unlike the E-registration which I do not recognize.
First, we have something against the Governor being made the Chairman of the registration and his utterances and actions since he was made the Chairman.
His first statement in Edo State; all the former APC Chairmen at the local Government area, and Coordinators, former Chairmen and coordinators at the various 192 Wards should go for E- registration.
Whereas, the PDP Constitution say: you can only be registered in your Ward by the Chairman and Secretary. Is he writing another Constitution for the PDP?
And the Constitution has not been amended?
Yes! So wait and see what will happen to the E- registration!
All right, against all of these, the opposition: APC has boasted to get back power in the up coming elections in the State. Your take Sir!
All those who said they escorted the Governor to the PDP were strong members of the APC. Governor Obaseki was there when Atiku; our Presidential candidate defeated Buhari in the State and in 2015, Jonathan defeated the APC even when the almighty Oshiomhole was the sitting Governor here. We got two Senatorial seats out of the three in the State; these are aside the House of Representatives positions so what are they saying? Whether the so called New PDP decides to go back to their former home; they are even divided now; some of them are secretly with us, he does not even have a full house now: the Governor. Even if they decide to go back to the APC, with Oshiomhole and others still in the Party, what kind of treatment will they get? May God not let bad thing happen, if the APC wins the State House of Assembly, do you think Obaseki will be safe with them?
Sir, there is this agitation against some national legislators who allegedly wants third term. Your take?
Though I do not really believe in what they call third term. But if you are good to your people and they decide to vote you, no problem. The Constitution is not against it, even in the USA, there are some legislators who have been there for no less than 18 years depending on your relationship with the people. Anyone who wants to go back, I encourage them to go take form. But if you are not good to them, they could kick you out!
Governor Nyesome Wike of Rivers State has described Obaseki as a serial betrayal. Do you agree with him?
Flowing from the altercation with the deputy Governor: Shaibu, if I were the Governor, I would not have commented rather, I would ask my followers to do the response because Wike did not attack the Governor but the deputy who said he escorted him to the PDP: which is annoying although he went too far to say who is your father? In an attempt to defend his deputy which he ought not to, he was also talking to Wike and he was reminded the way he was kneeling down to be accepted in the PDP and even after the election how he came to Port-harcourt with his wife to show gratitude. What offence has Wike committed? Are you happy to hear the deputy say he escorted the Governor to the PDP? If he said escorted; that does not make him a member of the Party. Or you think we are happy to hear him say that? That was not the first time except he went on TV to say it this time. I think Obaseki ought to had reprimanded his Deputy.
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