Confronting Frankenstein’s monster in Edo
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- Category: Philosofaith
- Written by Ainofenokhai Isa
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There is a burgeoning regime of executive rascality, recklessness and lawlessness in Edo State which thrives on serial constitutional infractions perpetrated by the State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in the guise of statecraft.
T he latest of such characteristic acts of impunity was the October 25 dissolution of the eighteen Local Government Councils in the state, before the December 16, 2010 expiration of their three-year tenure.
In contempt of legality and due process, which have, of course, long taken flight from the state due to Oshiomhole’s authoritarian temperament, the emperor of Edo (as he now is), has put in place caretaker committees made up of his cronies to run the councils.
Pray, what is the morality in dissolving democratically-elected councils about 68 days to the end of their tenure, ordering the Heads of Service who were not elected to take over the administration in the interim before appointing caretaker committees pending fresh elections?
Certainly, there is no morality in that patently anti-democratic and illegal act. In fact, inherent in the act is political desperation and bad politics that feed on the phobia of imminent rejection of his government at the polls.
Right from the day he was sworn in as governor in 2008 following the Court of Appeal verdict that voided the victory of Professor Oserhiemen Osunbor, he (Oshiomhole) had quickly embarked on a grand plan to dismantle the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structures in the state.
Whereas, Edo has been a traditional PDP state since 1999 until 2008 when it somehow slipped into the hands of the Action Congress (AC) now Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN); Oshiomhole is exerting himself, rather indecorously, towards ensuring that the PDP is permanently supplanted by the ACN.
The October 25 dissolution of the Local Government Councils is a further manifestation of the nauseating antics of a Frankenstein monster that is committed to destroying constitutional order in Edo State and consolidating illegality in a bid to keep his party in power. Today, the State House of Assembly is involved in a circus of aberration under the controversial speakership of Bright Omokhodion. The bona fide Speaker, Zakawanu Garuba and his colleagues in the PDP caucus, who boycotted the House since February, this year, are fighting the illegality in court.
What is the legality and morality in the sittings by a House presided over by Omokhodion in concert with 13 confederates without the 10 PDP members in attendance? The House, nudged on by Oshiomhole, has ignored suggestions that its illegal sittings amount to ACN meetings.
Oshiomhole does not care if PDP caucus in the House stays away indefinitely from the sittings because that pays him better. He does not want the existence of the other party or the other voice so he does not take up the gauntlet of democracy that places the onus on him to be accountable to the people.
But it is sad that a man who gained popularity as a labour leader for seemingly fighting anti-people policies of the federal government would act so anti-democratically by submerging the will of the people to the dictates of executive fiat.
Before this wholesale dissolution of the eighteen Local Government Councils in the State, he had earlier removed from office by the same stroke of executive high-handedness the Chairmen of Akoko-Edo, Orhiomwon and Oredo Local Government Councils for alleged mismanagement of council funds.
But he could not sustain the allegation. It was clear that the actions were politically-motivated. Both chairmen were members of the PDP. Oshiomhole had to deploy the force of government to dislodge them so he could take over the councils as part of initial plans to expand the frontiers of ACN power structure in the State.
Indeed, it is evident that the people of Edo State have come to the grim reality that a Frankenstein 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 eighteen 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.
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 Frankenstein’s monster out-of-control political stratagems being employed by Oshiomhole will certainly have their debilitating consequences on the state and its people.
Ainofenokhai, a political analyst, contributed this piece from Benin
T he latest of such characteristic acts of impunity was the October 25 dissolution of the eighteen Local Government Councils in the state, before the December 16, 2010 expiration of their three-year tenure.
In contempt of legality and due process, which have, of course, long taken flight from the state due to Oshiomhole’s authoritarian temperament, the emperor of Edo (as he now is), has put in place caretaker committees made up of his cronies to run the councils.
Pray, what is the morality in dissolving democratically-elected councils about 68 days to the end of their tenure, ordering the Heads of Service who were not elected to take over the administration in the interim before appointing caretaker committees pending fresh elections?
Certainly, there is no morality in that patently anti-democratic and illegal act. In fact, inherent in the act is political desperation and bad politics that feed on the phobia of imminent rejection of his government at the polls.
Right from the day he was sworn in as governor in 2008 following the Court of Appeal verdict that voided the victory of Professor Oserhiemen Osunbor, he (Oshiomhole) had quickly embarked on a grand plan to dismantle the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structures in the state.
Whereas, Edo has been a traditional PDP state since 1999 until 2008 when it somehow slipped into the hands of the Action Congress (AC) now Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN); Oshiomhole is exerting himself, rather indecorously, towards ensuring that the PDP is permanently supplanted by the ACN.
The October 25 dissolution of the Local Government Councils is a further manifestation of the nauseating antics of a Frankenstein monster that is committed to destroying constitutional order in Edo State and consolidating illegality in a bid to keep his party in power. Today, the State House of Assembly is involved in a circus of aberration under the controversial speakership of Bright Omokhodion. The bona fide Speaker, Zakawanu Garuba and his colleagues in the PDP caucus, who boycotted the House since February, this year, are fighting the illegality in court.
What is the legality and morality in the sittings by a House presided over by Omokhodion in concert with 13 confederates without the 10 PDP members in attendance? The House, nudged on by Oshiomhole, has ignored suggestions that its illegal sittings amount to ACN meetings.
Oshiomhole does not care if PDP caucus in the House stays away indefinitely from the sittings because that pays him better. He does not want the existence of the other party or the other voice so he does not take up the gauntlet of democracy that places the onus on him to be accountable to the people.
But it is sad that a man who gained popularity as a labour leader for seemingly fighting anti-people policies of the federal government would act so anti-democratically by submerging the will of the people to the dictates of executive fiat.
Before this wholesale dissolution of the eighteen Local Government Councils in the State, he had earlier removed from office by the same stroke of executive high-handedness the Chairmen of Akoko-Edo, Orhiomwon and Oredo Local Government Councils for alleged mismanagement of council funds.
But he could not sustain the allegation. It was clear that the actions were politically-motivated. Both chairmen were members of the PDP. Oshiomhole had to deploy the force of government to dislodge them so he could take over the councils as part of initial plans to expand the frontiers of ACN power structure in the State.
Indeed, it is evident that the people of Edo State have come to the grim reality that a Frankenstein 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 eighteen 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.
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 Frankenstein’s monster out-of-control political stratagems being employed by Oshiomhole will certainly have their debilitating consequences on the state and its people.
Ainofenokhai, a political analyst, contributed this piece from Benin
Articles
Confronting Frankenstein’s monster in Edo
Category: Philosofaith Written by Ainofenokhai Isa Hits: 598
There is a burgeoning regime of executive rascality, recklessness and lawlessness in Edo State which thrives on serial constitutional infractions perpetrated by the State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in the guise of statecraft.T he latest of such characteristic acts of impunity was the October 25 dissolution of the eighteen Local Government Councils in the state, before the December 16, 2010 expiration of their three-year tenure.
In contempt of legality and due process, which have, of course, long taken flight from the state due to Oshiomhole’s authoritarian temperament, the emperor of Edo (as he now is), has put in place caretaker committees made up of his cronies to run the councils.
Pray, what is the morality in dissolving democratically-elected councils about 68 days to the end of their tenure, ordering the Heads of Service who were not elected to take over the administration in the interim before appointing caretaker committees pending fresh elections?
Certainly, there is no morality in that patently anti-democratic and illegal act. In fact, inherent in the act is political desperation and bad politics that feed on the phobia of imminent rejection of his government at the polls.
Right from the day he was sworn in as governor in 2008 following the Court of Appeal verdict that voided the victory of Professor Oserhiemen Osunbor, he (Oshiomhole) had quickly embarked on a grand plan to dismantle the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structures in the state.
Whereas, Edo has been a traditional PDP state since 1999 until 2008 when it somehow slipped into the hands of the Action Congress (AC) now Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN); Oshiomhole is exerting himself, rather indecorously, towards ensuring that the PDP is permanently supplanted by the ACN.
The October 25 dissolution of the Local Government Councils is a further manifestation of the nauseating antics of a Frankenstein monster that is committed to destroying constitutional order in Edo State and consolidating illegality in a bid to keep his party in power. Today, the State House of Assembly is involved in a circus of aberration under the controversial speakership of Bright Omokhodion. The bona fide Speaker, Zakawanu Garuba and his colleagues in the PDP caucus, who boycotted the House since February, this year, are fighting the illegality in court.
What is the legality and morality in the sittings by a House presided over by Omokhodion in concert with 13 confederates without the 10 PDP members in attendance? The House, nudged on by Oshiomhole, has ignored suggestions that its illegal sittings amount to ACN meetings.
Oshiomhole does not care if PDP caucus in the House stays away indefinitely from the sittings because that pays him better. He does not want the existence of the other party or the other voice so he does not take up the gauntlet of democracy that places the onus on him to be accountable to the people.
But it is sad that a man who gained popularity as a labour leader for seemingly fighting anti-people policies of the federal government would act so anti-democratically by submerging the will of the people to the dictates of executive fiat.
Before this wholesale dissolution of the eighteen Local Government Councils in the State, he had earlier removed from office by the same stroke of executive high-handedness the Chairmen of Akoko-Edo, Orhiomwon and Oredo Local Government Councils for alleged mismanagement of council funds.
But he could not sustain the allegation. It was clear that the actions were politically-motivated. Both chairmen were members of the PDP. Oshiomhole had to deploy the force of government to dislodge them so he could take over the councils as part of initial plans to expand the frontiers of ACN power structure in the State.
Indeed, it is evident that the people of Edo State have come to the grim reality that a Frankenstein 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 eighteen 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.
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 Frankenstein’s monster out-of-control political stratagems being employed by Oshiomhole will certainly have their debilitating consequences on the state and its people.
Ainofenokhai, a political analyst, contributed this piece from Benin