Ilorin is arranged in compound. An average Ilorin family has a compound name and head. The compound name is coined from the family name. And the compound head, also known as Mogaji, are the aged members of each family. If there is a dispute between two or more members of the family, the compound head or Mogaji does mediate on time, and ensure that the rift doesn’t escalate for outsiders’ consumption. That’s why you can’t see any Ilorin family washing its dirty linen in public. Party leadership plays this role in Nigerian politics.
The power tussle between the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Party Chairman, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, and the Executive Governor of Edo State, Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, is still messy. Adams and Obaseki are not ready to let the sleeping dogs lie. Unfortunately, both are steadily digging their party’s grave.
The APC, Edo chapter, will conduct its primary election June 22 to pick the party candidate ahead 2020 governorship election amid Obaseki and Adams power tussle. The results of the election can’t be easily predicted. If we recall, early this year, thugs attacked Adams Oshiomhole, and he claimed it was masterminded by Governor Obaseki. Obaseki took to the media and faulted Adams’ imputation. Imagine, the primary is few weeks away and one party had alleged the other party of sponsoring his attack.
No doubt, if there is no enough security on ground, there would be bloodbath at the scenes of the primary on that scheduled day. Thugs would definitely visit some of these places as instructed by their paymasters. So we should be expecting electoral violence in the absence of uncompromising men of the Nigerian military and paramilitary. If Adams and Obaseki continue to cross swords, they’ll pave the way for the opposition parties, especially the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to feast on their misfortune and clinch the governorship stool. I think that will be a good lesson for the two men who aren’t ready to reconcile for the progress and victory of the party in the forthcoming election. Revolution doesn’t work where evolution is needed. I’ve never seen where a house divided against itself stands.
Aremu Lukman Umor, aremulukmanumor@gmail.com
