MEET FRANK OSHANUGOR
By Frank Oshanugor
The death of Nigeria’s former President, Muhammadu Buhari in a London hospital two Sundays ago and his subsequent burial at Daura, Katsina State; just like any other mortal with the spontaneous vanishing of his power and glory that once made him a thin-god to Nigerians, would have been enough lesson to the likes of Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo who chose such a time of sober reflection to threaten the life of Mr. Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra State and 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party.
Since Okpebholo’s unguided outburst unbefitting of a state governor, discerning Nigerians have been wondering if the governor even understands the basic tenets of democracy. Does he even understand the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which he has sworn to, several times to uphold?
It is unimaginable that a 21st Century sitting governor of a state in a country that prides herself as democratic, could have the courage and conviction to believe that he is doing the right thing by banning a fellow Nigerian from coming to his state without clearance when the ‘victim’ (Peter Obi in this case) has not committed any known offence. This is the height of executive stupidity, if you ask me.
As a concerned Nigerian, I have gone through the Nigerian Constitution to check where the Edo Governor derived the power to audaciously warn a former governor for that matter, to take clearance from him before visiting Edo State. I could not find such power anyway. Can Okpebholo please show us?
The Governor’s anger was that Peter Obi came to Edo State (and quite characteristic of his philanthropic gesture to progressive ventures), made some personal donation of N15million to St. Philomena School of Nursing. Okpebholo’s unfounded anger even misled him to question where Obi got the money he donated as the former Anambra Governor had often claimed that he did not have “shishi” to give. He went ahead to assert that Obi’s visit to the state coincided with a resurgence of violence and warned that Obi must take clearance from him before visiting the state any other time or face the consequence. What an over-reaching threat!
The Edo Governor in spite of his denial on Sunday (20th July) through his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua that he did not threaten Obi, but following protocol; one can understand where his warped understanding of Obi’s political campaign mantra came from. Let it be told here that when Obi said he did not have “shishi” to give, it was only a pointer to his politics of decency which is largely centred on less ostentatious tendencies to governance. Okpebholo should understand it in that true context.
Hate Obi or like him, the man stands tall as one Nigerian politician who does not believe in spending money wastefully in the race to acquire power because the consequence is often on the poor masses. Our country is today bleeding because many people in corridors of power bought their positions criminally and short-changed those who ought to be genuinely in charge. From the presidency down to governors, national and state assemblies, how many of such office occupants today can swear with their lives that they genuinely won election that brought them to power without manipulating the process with money?
Because they spent so much to illegitimately acquire power, they now have a sense of entitlement to recoup such money by primitively appropriating to themselves what ought not to be their portion. Otherwise, how do we explain the budget padding regime at the National Assembly? Just last week, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) boss Ola Olukoyede hinted that about 18 sitting governors were being investigated. What is the meaning of that? Some skeletons have been discovered, I guess.
How many Nigerians can boldly say in contemporary time, that they have absolute confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), or the Judiciary as far as election matters are considered. We all witnessed what happened in 2023 and there is nothing on the horizon to suggest that 2027 would be any better because more desperate politicians would want to outdo others to illegitimately acquire power. This is exactly what Peter Obi abhors, hence his mantra of no “shishi.”
My advice to Governor Monday Okpebholo who brazenly and ignobly described himself as a “new sheriff” in town in his attempt to demonise Peter Obi and possibly attract some hand clapping from his cheer leaders, is that he should take life easy. Many who passed through the same path he is walking on today (in the past), have been forgotten and thrown into the dustbin of history. A good student of history on governance should know that nothing lasts forever. Life itself is quite ephemeral. A lot of lesson should be learnt by the living from what had happened to others who came before them.
There was a time in this country, when leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) then in power were shouting to the roof top that they would rule Nigeria for unbroken 60 years, claiming that PDP was the largest party in Africa. Where are they today? Some of them have turned manure in their graves while others are still alive but spineless. Everything is vanity. So Okpebholo should refrain from his anti-Peter Obi posturing because not even President Bola Tinubu, the national leader of his All Progressives Congress (APC) can speak so despicably about a harmless man like Peter Obi. The Edo Governor should know the limits of his power because every “New Sheriff” in town has expiry date. Life is merely a LOG IN, LOG OUT affair like a computer does.
