The defection of Governor Godwin Obaseki from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is truly a deadly blow on the APC leadership in the state and in the nation. Without mincing words, it a great credit to the opposition PDP in the state and in Nigeria. In one way the PDP in the state has won a very big victory over the APC in Edo state. The APC without doubt has lost a lot to the PDP.
The APC has lost, very likely, the governorship victory which the power of incumbency always carries along. Most times, although not in all situations, the sitting governors always maneuver their way to the victory for second term following the fact that they control all the powers in the state. Most times the security forces usually dance to their tune because the enormous funds usually moved into their offices to prosecute the election in the favour of the sitting governor.
So, despite the fact that the security architecture is a federal government control, there are levels it gets to in the hands of the federal government. The money moved to them from the federal cannot always match the one from the state government. Hence, on several occasions they dance to the tune of the state government. That is why when it gets out of hand the inspector general of police is compelled to transfer the commission of police from a particular state to the other.
From the event of Friday June 19, 2020, the governor has dashed the APC a very deadly blow. The blow may be very tough to recover from for a very long period of time. Yes, Obaseki has actually wounded the political nerve of the APC in the state. His defection has removed so many political bigwigs from the APC, a development which will take the party long time to recover from. The man who would have helped the APC to fight, Adams Oshiomhole, has been suspended from the party and no one can tell how his case will be in the hands of the courts.
Obaseki’s move from the APC has rendered the party very weak and powerless. This is so because all the people funding the party have all moved along with the governor to the PDP to continue their political relevance with the governor. Imagine a party that was formerly having all 18 House of Assembly members funding it, all 196 councilors funding at the ward levels with all the appointees and the governor defecting at the same time, it is not a joke.
The party has lost very heavily and it may affect the fortune of the APC in the coming governorship elections. But we know that the federal APC headquarters and some of the APC governors in the country will push some funds to the APC campaign council to prosecute the election. Tinubu, very likely, may pour funds into the election. APC governors’ forum may gather money for the election. But it must be stated clearly that some of the APC governors are not happy for what the former national chairman did to their colleague in the party.
This may reduce their willingness to contribute to funding the election for the Edo APC candidate. Election is expensive, especially in Nigeria. This is because many Nigerians believe that after the elections, it may not be easy to make much financial gains from the candidates, hence it is better to get what they could from them before they step into their elected political offices.
