EDO APC: IDAHAGBON’S DEFICIT OF VISION

BY OTEGHE ADAMS, BENIN CITY, EDO STATE, NIGERIA

It is without contention that one of the most precarious pitfalls of politics in Nigeria is the conferment of ‘’leadership ‘’status on all kinds of characters in the absence of any meritorious assessment or qualifications. The society suffers even the more when ‘’ awardees’’ of such appellations begin to speak and carry themselves as if they were ever really worthy of such honour. Having become overdosed with the aphrodisiac of worthless adulations, some of such characters begin to wallow in the political fantasy of their own creation. Persons of no respectable political pedigree or life antecedents would think that they have ascended the Olympian height of political power simply because they were appointed state commissioners. It is sometimes perplexing to watch the hubris with which such appointees as special assistants, advisers, heads of agencies and others with myriad of bureaucratic nomenclatures assume god-like demeanor once so appointed. In their arrogance, some of such political opportunists even forget the flimsiness and shallowness of the credentials with which they were appointed into such offices. This description definitely does not apply to all commissioners and other referenced appointees as I would indeed say that our state has been blessed at various times with appointees carrying dignified personal and professional profiles. The more interesting aspect of this scenario is that those who arrived at the commissionership position with enviable profile seem to be more humble and accomplished in their offices and other assignments.
Unfortunately, the former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Edo State, Henry Idahagbon does not belong in the list of the best and brightest commissioners that have emerged in recent years. If anything, Idahagbon, could be mercifully framed in the gallery of failures. Informed sources indicate that the dignity of the department of justice suffered grave reputational damage during Idahagbon’s tenure. Edo State under the ex- commissioner’s watch hardly won any memorable cases with positive impact on our polity. There were no initiatives from Idahagbon’s office as commissioner for justice that can be proudly chronicled. Perhaps if this record is controvertible, Idahagbon should show courage to so defend the record of his service to our state. This is the time for the judgment of history. There will be no place for our public servants past and present to hide from the scrutiny of accountability. This is the obligation that is now placed on our generational shoulders as a new paradigm and ethos of public service is evolving in Edo State.
It is understandable that the endangered specie of political opportunists to which, Idahagbon belong may seek to hold on to the old culture that benefits people like him ( Idahagbon) most. Such an inclination was betrayed in the recent declaration by Idahagbon, that he would be running for a seat in the State House of Assembly. One would have thought that the declaration would have been an opportunity for the ex-attorney general to tell his audience of his vision for the legislative arm of government. Ordinarily, this would have been Idahagbon’s moment to project with pride his experience as a former Commissioner for Justice and a true leader within the APC. But Idahagbon rightfully proved to his audience and the people of Egor constituency that he is incapable of embracing a new and progressive vision. The unreformed PDP in Idahagbon’s political DNA was still evident.
Rather than proceed to offer an uplifting message in tandem with the momentum of people-oriented ethos that Obasekism represents, Idahagbon, spewed falsehoods as a way of launching his campaign. The former commissioner was said to have been booed by people in the audience when he accused Governor Obaseki of describing APC leaders as ‘’ thieves’’. A youth leader at the event loudly and openly confronted and advised Idahagbon not to spread unwarranted hatred against the Governor. Although Idahagbon tried to secretly poison the minds of APC faithful by spreading malicious tales about Governor Obaseki , the ex-commissioner’s statement has now become a subject of massive public ridicule and opprobrium. Obviously, Idahagbon does not share the progressive and inclusive economic philosophy of Obasekism , but the ex-commissioner should not spread outright lies about the Governor. Leadership must be earned through responsibility and that is what is now demanded by the opponents of Idahagbon in the race for the House of Assembly. A recent petition by some of the constituents in Egor local government are requesting that Idahagbon should come out and authenticate his allegation regarding the Governor. I would simply add that as a supposed legal practitioner, Idahagbon , must immediately redeem his professional integrity by publicly apologizing for fictionalizing some arrant nonsense about the Governor. The accusation that the Governor described party leaders as ‘’ thieves’’ is the figment of Idahagbon’s sick imagination – perhaps Idahagbon was projecting his own state of mind as to how he perceives of himself among the so-called ‘’ party leaders’’.

Idahagbon is undoubtedly learned enough to understand the essence of contextualization in communications to avoid consequential distortion to the original message. If the ex-commissioner is unhappy that Governor Obaseki is more focused on massive investment on the people and not the showering of patronage on some self – acclaimed “party leaders” , Idahagbon should say so – he should do so with courage so that the people of Egor, that he seeks to represent will know the true nature of the man that now seeks to lead them. It is understable that the likes of Idahagbon feel enstranged and unfamiliar with the emerging terrain of the people-oriented paradigm of governance in the present dispensation. Persons who are used to privileges of political patronages cannot share the vision and civics of service as transparently projected by Governor Obaseki.

Unfortunately for the rapidly shrinking and odiously vegetating Idahagbon’s circle, there is no force strong enough to stop the crystallization of the ideas of a new political and economic 21st century regional power that Obasekism and Edo State represents.
It is my humble counsel to the former attorney general that he has started the launch of his electoral political career in a disastrous fashion. Of course I’m not too surprised because Idahagbon was not the competent political manager that he is perceived to be under governor Oshiomhole. Perhaps he should ingest some pills of humility and embrace the reality that change is the most constant element of life.