Before last Saturday, it was not clear who the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State would
present to confront the charismatic Comrade Adams
Oshiomhole at the July 14 governorship election.
General Charles Airhiavbere has been handed the
ticket. Osagie Otabor reviews the process that threw
him up and the dust thus raised.
Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is perhaps now
prepared for a tough governorship election battle on July
14. Now, it has a candidate for the election as a former
Commander, Corps of Army Finance and Accounts, Major-
General Charles Airhiavbere now has the backing of the
party to fight the battle.
For the party, this is an unusual governorship poll as it is
contesting for the first time as an opposition party. It is
considered a must-win by Chairman of Nigeria Ports
Authority (NPA), Chief Tony Anenih, who wants to prove
that he remaines in charge of Edo State politics.
The emergence of Airhiavbere as PDP candidate was
greeted with protest by some PDP members and aspirants
who felt the process was skewed in his favour. It might be
a surprise to other aspirants that contested against him,
but it was actually a worked out plan that began about two
years ago.
This has caused disquiet that may hurt the party at the
poll.
Before he retired from the military in 2010, General
Airhiavbere, speculations were rife taht he was being
groomed to become the next governor of the state on PDP
ticket. The PDP whose image was already battered by 10
years of non-performance was in search of a candidate that
could stand against Governor Adams Oshiomhole in
elections, financially and ethnically.
One major move the PDP had planned to win forthcoming
elections was to pick a candidate from Edo South
Senatorial district which commands almost 60 percent of
votes in the state. But the party leadership had insisted
that it had not zoned the governorship slot to any
senatorial district.
It is not clear if this would help the party given the
popularity of Oshiomhole in Benin City.
In preparation for a political career, Airhiavbere formed a
non-governmental organisation, CACO which later came to
be known as Charles Airhiavbere Campaign Organisation.
Through CACO, Airhiavbere secretly penetrated the soul of
PDP in the state by making donations to victims of natural
disasters and giving soft loans to market women.
When Airhiavbere declared intention to run for governor,
other persons who had earlier shown interest in the race
like Mr. Kenneth Imasuangbon, were jolted.
To douse tension generated by Airhiavbere’s declaration,
the PDP leadership in the state told aspirants that the state
ticket was not zoned and promised them that free and fair
primaries would be organised.
Nine persons initially declared intention to run for the ticket
but only five paid N5.5 million to pick the nomination form.
Others who dropped their ambition said they were doing so
to support Airhiavbere.
The five aspirants, including Airhiavbere, were former
Special Adviser on Project Monitoring to former President
Obasanjo, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, Mr. Kenneth
Imansuangbon, former governor of Edo State, Prof.
Oserheimen Osunbor and former member of the Edo State
House of Assembly, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen.
A PDP leader told The Nation that pressure on some of the
aspirants to step down for Airhiavbere was resisted as they
insisted on going on with the contest despite glaring proof
that they would not win.
Of the five aspirants, only Imasuangbon and Airhiavbere
were seen as main contenders. They both spent much on
television advertorials and were said to have reach out to
the delegates and party leaders.
Imasuangbon had earlier did not hide his fears for
Airhiavbere during one of PDP tour of wards.
Just like Airhiavbere, Imasuangbon also began wooing
party members in 2008 through distribution of rice every
December which earned him the nick-name, “The Rice
Man”.
Imasuangbon was a governorship aspirant of the ACN in
2007 but joined the PDP in 2008 during which he
attempted to settle warring factions in the PDP led by Dr.
Samuel Ogbemudia and Chief Tony Anenih.
Despite his financial muscle, Imasuangbon’s loss at the
primaries, according to PDP sources, was that the PDP
believed that fielding a candidate from Edo Central with
less than 20 per cent of the voting population would give
Oshiomhole easy victory at the polls.
Imasuangbon won in only two local councils in Edo South,
securing 178 votes for a distant second position.
Prof. Osunbor, a former governor who was sacked by a
judgment of the Court of Appeal, had supporters who felt
his brief stint as a governor would sway votes for him.
What they did not realise was that the PDP had not
forgiven him for causing its political woes.
Iduoriyikemwen, a former member of the Board of the
Niger Delta Development Commission and two-time
member of the State House of Assembly, was the last to
join the race and was rumoured to be President Goodluck
Jonathan favourite to win. He, however, cleared votes from
Ikpoba-Okha and lost in other 17 local councils.
For Prof. Ihonvbere, many said he wouldn’t have declared
intention to run as he could not secure any victory even in
his local council, Owan East. He had only 24 votes. This
was different from the political clout he commanded in
2007 when he contested against Prof Osunbor. It was the
steeping down of Senator Odion Ugbesia that gave
Osunbor victory over Ihonvbere.
However, of the 735 delegates, made up of 159 statutory
delegates and 576 elected delegates expected to vote at
the special congress, only 725 delegates were accredited
for the exercise.
Those who did not turn-up included former Governor Lucky
Igbinedion and former deputy governor, Rev. Peter
Obadan. Airhiavbere’s victory was met with protest from
some PDP members who said the party leadership did not
reward those that laboured for the party. Other aspirants
that lost left without congratulating the winner.
Many members left immediately after voting while those
that waited used harsh words to describe the party’s
leadership.
Imasuangbon simply told journalists that “We don’t have a
process”, and he is considering the option of going to court
to stop Airhiavbere from being allowed to contest the
election.
Chairman of the electoral panel, Mr. Newson Nwike,
congratulated the aspirants, saying the voting process
would lead to PDP winning the July 14 governorship
election.
For some, Oshiomhole would have been in festive mood if
Osunbor or other aspirants had emerged. They opined that
Oshiomhole now needs more political deft to overcome
campaign that was whipped up against Prof. Ambrose Alli.
That, they said was responsible for the emergence of
Airhiavbere.
However, Oshiomhole has proved a master tactician. He
has his performance in office, too, to speak for him.
Besides, his visits to the defeated PDP aspirants show him
as a man prepared for the battle ahead. Now, it is
Oshiomhole versus Airhiavbere.
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Wednesday, 29 February 2012
ibori says he did not plead guilty to cooruption charges
Former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, who is
facing a 10-count charge of stealing, money laundering
and corruption at a London court, yesterday, denied
pleading guilty to corruption charges.
Ibori, in a statement signed by his media assistant, Mr
Tony Eluemunor, also explained why he pleaded guilty to
money laundering charges, saying: “Ibori did not want a
long-drawn trial where Nigeria’s name would be bandied
about in a foreign court.”
According to Eluemunor, “the world was made to believe
that Ibori’s guilty plea was a sudden turn around and not
a well-deliberated act that was part of a plea bargain
deal. But it is on record that several Nigerian newspapers
of last Sunday published different versions of that story;
that Ibori would plead guilty as part of a plea bargain
arrangement.
“Of course, that plea bargain deal would only kick in with
Ibori’s pleading guilty, which he did on Monday. After
that plea, which had been successfully foretold by
Nigerian newspapers, both the prosecution and the
defence counsel were to return on April 16 and 17 to
make their needed statements.
Unfortunately, while Ibori’s lead counsel stayed true to
this time-tested legal procedure, the prosecution counsel
went rogue and began to make wild and unfounded
statements aimed at nothing but self-glorification and
Ibori’s demonisation.
“What was not clear to Nigerians was that the
prosecution lawyers were labouring at damage control as
the publication in several Nigerian newspapers of last
Sunday had leaked out the secret that the seven-year
investigation against Ibori had not only cost the British
taxpayer £14 million but was funded by the DfID —the
Department of Foreign Development.
The visit of London Metropolitan Police
“The prosecution then laboured hard to justify the
money spent and stave off another official inquiry into
the much investigated London Metropolitan Police, that
have been accused often of grave misdeeds.
Consequently, the London Metropolitan Police invited
droves of media agencies and several statements to
justify their jamborees in the sun, whereby agents
visited the far-flung corners of the earth with little to
show for their efforts.
“They even visited Nigeria three times, and lowly
policemen who had never shaken hands with their
British superiors had dinner with former President
Olusegun Obasanjo in the deep recesses of Aso Rock
Presidential Villa, Abuja. Some of the statements were
contradictory; some totally wild and even insane.
“Worst of all, several foreign media quoted the London
Police list of landed property they claimed belonged to
Ibori, that they promised to confiscate. But anyone who
has followed the cases concerning Ibori’s sister and
Udoamaka Okoronkwo would have noticed that some of
the same buildings featured prominently there. The truth
is that what is at stake in London for now is just about
three average buildings, finish.
What matters
“What matters to Ibori is that all corruption charges were
dropped by the London Police for lack of evidence. Any
claim that any corruption charge he is facing is pure
propaganda. He did not plead guilty to any corruption
charge.
With the corruption charges removed because they could
not be proved beyond any reasonable doubt, the Police
stayed with money laundering charges, to be proved by
nothing but inference — the convincing of a jury of white
persons. No proof, no evidence would be needed then,
no documentary truths would be established.
“The British and the Nigerian establishments have been
driving this case to a pre-determined end, and a battle
weary Ibori was advised to plead guilty, end what had
promised to be a long-drawn trial, and begin to rebuild
his life which had been tossed about in an ocean of legal
controversy and trials because of politics— since 2003,
that is nine long years ago. Also, Ibori did not want a
long-drawn trial where Nigeria’s name would be bandied
about in a forign court.”
Na wa o who we come believe nw
facing a 10-count charge of stealing, money laundering
and corruption at a London court, yesterday, denied
pleading guilty to corruption charges.
Ibori, in a statement signed by his media assistant, Mr
Tony Eluemunor, also explained why he pleaded guilty to
money laundering charges, saying: “Ibori did not want a
long-drawn trial where Nigeria’s name would be bandied
about in a foreign court.”
According to Eluemunor, “the world was made to believe
that Ibori’s guilty plea was a sudden turn around and not
a well-deliberated act that was part of a plea bargain
deal. But it is on record that several Nigerian newspapers
of last Sunday published different versions of that story;
that Ibori would plead guilty as part of a plea bargain
arrangement.
“Of course, that plea bargain deal would only kick in with
Ibori’s pleading guilty, which he did on Monday. After
that plea, which had been successfully foretold by
Nigerian newspapers, both the prosecution and the
defence counsel were to return on April 16 and 17 to
make their needed statements.
Unfortunately, while Ibori’s lead counsel stayed true to
this time-tested legal procedure, the prosecution counsel
went rogue and began to make wild and unfounded
statements aimed at nothing but self-glorification and
Ibori’s demonisation.
“What was not clear to Nigerians was that the
prosecution lawyers were labouring at damage control as
the publication in several Nigerian newspapers of last
Sunday had leaked out the secret that the seven-year
investigation against Ibori had not only cost the British
taxpayer £14 million but was funded by the DfID —the
Department of Foreign Development.
The visit of London Metropolitan Police
“The prosecution then laboured hard to justify the
money spent and stave off another official inquiry into
the much investigated London Metropolitan Police, that
have been accused often of grave misdeeds.
Consequently, the London Metropolitan Police invited
droves of media agencies and several statements to
justify their jamborees in the sun, whereby agents
visited the far-flung corners of the earth with little to
show for their efforts.
“They even visited Nigeria three times, and lowly
policemen who had never shaken hands with their
British superiors had dinner with former President
Olusegun Obasanjo in the deep recesses of Aso Rock
Presidential Villa, Abuja. Some of the statements were
contradictory; some totally wild and even insane.
“Worst of all, several foreign media quoted the London
Police list of landed property they claimed belonged to
Ibori, that they promised to confiscate. But anyone who
has followed the cases concerning Ibori’s sister and
Udoamaka Okoronkwo would have noticed that some of
the same buildings featured prominently there. The truth
is that what is at stake in London for now is just about
three average buildings, finish.
What matters
“What matters to Ibori is that all corruption charges were
dropped by the London Police for lack of evidence. Any
claim that any corruption charge he is facing is pure
propaganda. He did not plead guilty to any corruption
charge.
With the corruption charges removed because they could
not be proved beyond any reasonable doubt, the Police
stayed with money laundering charges, to be proved by
nothing but inference — the convincing of a jury of white
persons. No proof, no evidence would be needed then,
no documentary truths would be established.
“The British and the Nigerian establishments have been
driving this case to a pre-determined end, and a battle
weary Ibori was advised to plead guilty, end what had
promised to be a long-drawn trial, and begin to rebuild
his life which had been tossed about in an ocean of legal
controversy and trials because of politics— since 2003,
that is nine long years ago. Also, Ibori did not want a
long-drawn trial where Nigeria’s name would be bandied
about in a forign court.”
Na wa o who we come believe nw
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