By Mudiaga Okorefe
About two weeks ago I read the article written by Dr Cyril Ogodo and titled “Day-dreaming, Deceit and the Urhobo Governorship Project” published in Urhobo Voice. In that article he sought to show clearly that in as much as Urhobos are unified in their desire to produce the next governor of Delta state in 2015, unless Urhobo is serious and do what is required, the wish would turn out to be a pipe dream. He also posited, quite clearly, that a lot of the guber runners currently out there are either day dreaming or out to deceive urhobo people particularly with regards to the party platforms through which they have chosen to pursue the project! After the recent Osun election, I felt the compelling urgency to write this article as a kind of follow up or expansion on his well thought-out piece.
The Osun election, if for nothing else, has undoubtedly elevated beyond any further debate that there are two and only two parties in Nigeria today; the PDP and the APC! That the rest of the over 20 or so other parties only do exist on paper or in name! Which goes to collaborate the well informed thinking of the UPU in making what is now well known as the Uvwiamuge Declaration! Yet in an attempt to hoodwink Urhobos and play the spoiler, the PDP satellite party better known as Labour party has now berthed in Urhoboland purporting to be working towards urhobo governorship realisation! For a party that has Akure/Ondo state as it’s mecca, what was its standing, role and performance in the two gubernatorial elections that took place in its immediate captive constituents ie Ekiti and Osun?
In Ekiti, the Labour and it’s candidate Bamidele were self confessed spoilers who came into the fray to enhance PDP’s chances and indeed, they succeeded. In Osun, again Labour came for its usual PDP assigned role, this time, APC was able to stop both principal (Pdp) and agent ( Labour)! In anycase, how much votes did Labour garnered, squashed between the elephants? Will Urhobo be deceived to support this spoiler party through the deception currently being propagated that President Jonathan has reach a deal to use Labour to supplant PDP in Delta in order to award governorship to Urhobo? You may deceive some people sometimes, but can you really deceive all the people all the time? Urhobos must wise up, the jury is no longer cocooned, it is out and very clear for all to see; the deal is between the PDP and Labour and it is to muddle up the Urhobo waters, divide Urhobo unity and defeat the Urhobo governorship project!
Before the Osun election, the PDP has been acting and behaving like the only behemoth, throwing it’s weight around either trying to impeach an APC governor or “capturing” a new APC state. Now, is it not a new dawn in the political terrain in the country? From the Nasarawa revival to the Osun counter punch, the APC has now demonstrated unarguably that it is the other behemoth on the block! That in the face of militarization and intimidation, it can stand toe to toe, federal might or not! Osun has demonstrated that Nigeria is not and is never going to be a one party country! That Nigeria is ready for two alternate parties like in the matured democracies like the USA, UK and others! That the power of voters who are determined on a direction can overwhelm the power of the state even in its most abusive manifestation!
The PDP in Delta state is still in self denial and very stuck in the past! It still believe and behave as if it is the defacto landlord of Osadebey house, Asaba! It’s demeanour is still as if votes still don’t count, as if majority still do not matter, as if Urhobos still do not exist! They still believe that, having “won” the guber elections by voodoo in 2010 and 2011 “without” Urhobo votes, Urhobo still do not matter! Which is why they are poised to zone out Urhobo in their calculations! As a matter of fact, the ostracisation of Urhobo in the PDP is a done deal! So do not wait for a PDP Urhobo gubernatorial candidate in Delta 2015, because you will not see one! The Urhobo guber aspirants in PDP knows this but have decided to play the ostrich, are out to try their luck, and to gamble with Urhobo destiny and to day dream! The PDP’s belief is not in the voters but in their federal might with which they will impose their party candidate on the state, with or without the majority! They could be deaf though, but Osun election sends them a clear and different message!
Unlike the PDP, the APC is practical and realistic about Delta 2015. As a platform, it offers the Urhobo it’s best opportunity to present a genuine governorship candidate that can bring her project to fruition! A true alternative behemoth, the APC has demonstrated undoubtedly that it can deliver and is not pretentious about its opposition credentials! If indeed, Urhobo is serious about her intentions, is there truly any other platform out there for her to deploy? The answer is in the Osun election! A deprived and frustrated but deserving people must chose a rugged and partnering platform to confront a mutual predator!
Osun election is significant for Urhobo strategy to occupy Osadebey house in 2015 in another direction and this is why! It is clearly foreseeable that Urhobo governorship will not be awarded on any platter, bronze, silver or gold! It will require hard choices, hardwork, a tough fight, and whatever else it takes. It will call to question the patriotism of Urhobo sons and daughters, their unity of purpose and their resolve. It will require courage, determination and doggedness! It will require Urhobo placing her interest above every other interest. The lesson for the Urhobo nation from Osun in this wise is that a people determined enough can take on all the obstacles of an oppressor and overcome! That the fear of the predator can become the motivation for survival of the prey! That nothing good will come to the wary, and that no one else will fight your fight but you! That is the Osun election!
Overall, the taste of the pudding shall be in the eating! The price Urhobo seek in out there! She is not alone soughting after it. It shall be won or lost somehow by the wise and brave! May history judge that Urhobo was street wise and not just a dreamer!
Mr Mudiaga Okorefe
Writes from Effurun.
