{"id":71155,"date":"2020-01-02T17:50:22","date_gmt":"2020-01-02T16:50:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=71155"},"modified":"2020-01-02T17:50:22","modified_gmt":"2020-01-02T16:50:22","slug":"edo-state-welcome-to-the-politics-of-2020-by-osakue-aiyevbekpen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/articles-opinions\/edo-state-welcome-to-the-politics-of-2020-by-osakue-aiyevbekpen\/","title":{"rendered":"Edo State: Welcome to the Politics of 2020 By Osakue Aiyevbekpen"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n

As we start the year 2020 today (January 1), I consider it auspicious to
\nmake few remarks on only one aspect of the politics of Edo State. I have
\nwatched all kinds of people building a rampart around the Governor
\n(Godwin Obaseki). I believe some are very sincere in expressing their
\nopinions, rightly or wrongly. But many others have prostituted their
\nhearts and souls for pittance.
\nInterestingly, those who did not give Obaseki a chance, those who fought
\nagainst us with their might, those who were thousands of kilometers away
\nfrom the battlefield and those who did not even vote for Obaseki are the
\nones on the corridors of power or on the social media ventilating hot
\ngas.
\nSuddenly, complex and highly risky political operations have become mere
\npatriotic acts for which no commensurate reward should be expected. For
\nthe information of the vociferous novices, campaign and election are two
\nrelated operations that are comparable to war operations. The strategies
\nare similar except that one does not include the use of guns and
\nkillings of enemies.
\nIn politics, we have opponents and not enemies. In both political and
\nmilitary operations, when a little slip occurs, like it did occur on the
\nside of our then opponents, the consequences could be devastating and
\nirreversible. We took full advantage of their slip to overtake them at
\nthe last lap! That\u2019s how the result was delivered! Your entirety must
\nbe at alert, think on your feet and respond to situations in split
\nseconds!
\nFor the horde of ingratiating manumits and hallelujah choristers, who
\ncelebrate outright ingratitude and legendary insensitivity, we pray for
\nthem to come face to face with such acts that they now glorify in every
\nfacet of their lives! May they commit their intellect and talents and
\nput their lives on line for a cause and at the point of success, may
\nthey be so neglected, abandoned, dumped and blackmailed!<\/p>\n

What was really the contribution of the candidate in the process of
\nbecoming Governor? What public goodwill did he parade? What war-chest
\ndid he bring to the war room? What strategic capacity did he bring to
\nthe table? What public persuasive skills did he exhibit at campaigns?
\nThese are all known to those who were in the arena struggling through
\nthe various huddles at each turn and bend of whole story! And someone
\ntries to belittle the heroic accomplishments of others? Good conscience
\nand fairness have long taken flight from these climes and people have
\nbecome pitiable victims of mountebankery!<\/p>\n

I plead with you all, friends and foes, to strive to be a bit kinder, a
\nbit more charitable and considerate in our comments and remarks on
\nmatters to which all facts are not available to us. As citizens, our
\nfirst responsibility is to hold government accountable for its actions.
\nIn this regard, how many of us have asked the right questions? How many
\nof us have a copy of the Governor\u2019s manifesto? On what basis can
\nanyone realistically engage government if you don\u2019t have the very
\nbasic tools for such engagement? And how can anyone expect real growth
\nand development to occur out of a rigged system? We gloat, hype and
\ncelebrate tokenism.<\/p>\n

I was invited to defend government policies and vision at the inchoate
\nstages of this government and I did. I was also invited to do a round of
\nmedia campaign for our party candidates before the elections and I did.
\nI believed it was my government and was ready to do anything and
\neverything possible to make the government succeed. If this government
\nis troubled today, it is not because there were enemies fighting to
\nbring it down. No. It is because the continuity agenda, a major plank of
\nour campaign was repudiated. That action was highly suggestive and that
\nis how people began to murmur. And majorly, it is because of lack of
\nemotional intelligence and inclusiveness resulting from technocratic
\ndivertimento!<\/p>\n

The present political tempest should have been long nipped in its bud
\nwithout much cost, just by exhibiting social reflexes and interactions,
\nif my memos and discussions with his close aides during which I
\narticulated practical ways of avoiding the looming crisis had yielded
\nfruits. Mind you, the strategies did not include the sharing of money.
\nIt is about closing up relationships and patronage extension to those
\nqualified. The humongous waste of time and resources of today would have
\nbeen avoided by little gestures of goodwill yesterday!<\/p>\n

* Mr. Osakue, a strategist and the first DG of Godwin Obaseki Campaign
\nOrganisation 2015\/16, writes from Benin.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As we start the year 2020 today (January 1), I consider it auspicious to make few remarks on only one aspect of the politics of Edo State. 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