By Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, Esq.
#eacgovdelta
The political drum beats will soon rock the atmosphere, and those who know the act of grassroots politics will be displaying their skills and spreading their tentacles while politicking.
Political alliances will be formed, defection from one party to another will take the centre stage, while POLITICAL LOYALTY shall be put to the strictest test across senatorial districts. Cross wire like never before will be rampant in the realm of media politics and strategic communication.
It will also be the period for the examination of aspirants and their promoters; integrity and pedigree will be put to test. It will also entail the review of political and leadership antecedents to ascertain eligibility of aspirants, moral justification checks, and public perception about each aspirant and those behind them in the struggle to grab the number one plum job in each state of the federation, and that includes Delta State.
It is expected that as the aspirants file-out in their numbers from various political parties, senatorial districts and ethnic nationalities, members of the public especially eligible voters and their leaders cum political godfathers will genuinely or pretentiously play politics, make friends with party delegates and major stakeholders to get party tickets for their cronies, loved ones or associates.
However, in Delta State, the issue that will be in the front burner is that of POWER ROTATION. By power rotation it is meant; an arrangement by some political gladiators or musketeers within a political party, agreeing to a system of what some political commentators call “turn by turn” in the leadership of a local, state or federal government.
The focus in power rotation is “politics, power and leadership” wherein both the weak, the strong, majority and minority stakeholders have equal right and opportunity to control the affairs of government and to provide good governance through political arrangements.
Agreements, written or unwritten must contain certain proviso(s) or exception(s) or sanction(s) that makes it possible for the parties to be bonded together and must guarantee intention to create legal relationship. Terms and conditions are known and binding on all parties.
To be candid, power rotation not only promote friendship and enhances mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, unity and fairness; but also bind people of different ethnic nationalities, religions and sociocultural backgrounds together, if strictly adhered to.
The principles are the same for gentleman or written agreement, in terms of implementation and strict adherence to terms and conditions, and violation or breach of any part of the agreement may or may not automatically repudiate the agreement.
Whenever any agreement is breached by either of the parties; it is either that compensation is paid or sanctions are activated. The Breach may also impliedly revoke the agreement.
The question is; can the binding effects in a commercial, or trade agreement be applicable to any gentleman agreement entered into by political gladiators/musketeers within a political party? What will be the best way possible to remedy breach of any gentleman agreement in the political system or scheme of things?
To answer the above questions will require the political leaders within the party to come together as one family, so as to probe into “what is fair, what is equitable and what is justiceable” and then agree on the solutions that will best heal the open wounds of any of the parties, if any.
And if you struggle to get what you ought to get with ease based on any gentleman agreement or arrangement, the reason for the infractions and/or paradigm shift in that regard must be addressed and put to rest. This is very important for both sides, and the time to make that move is now.
Therefore, it will be premature at this time to foreclose all possibilities, as far as power rotation is concerned in Delta PDP. It is not yet time for name calling as can be seen on social media by members of some political family trees, until all efforts to reconcile the musketeers within the party ends in fiasco, and when the centre can no longer hold.
And as rightly declared publicly by the state governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, it will require the assemblage of leaders of PDP in Delta, to dialogue and play politics. This is very important, not the profitless chorus of “you are a betrayal.”
To play politics in this context may also include; a holistic review of past political arrangements across board, including the vexed issue of deliberate infractions or the alleged breach of the much talked about “power rotation agreement” in the state, from 1999 to 2019.
It follows that party leaders from the three senatorial districts must of a necessity come to a round table interface, and reach an acceptable compromise that will be beneficial to all parties concerned, going forward. This is certainly the way to go. It is doable, and it can only be done through the party, PDP, and not via a political pressure group with a rigid or written constitution.
The two major camps in this scenario are formidable, and it will do us no good if the two elephants are provoked to a political and electioneering fight. It is certainly NOT the best option, because the GRASS may suffer and one of the most skilled elephant will emerge victorious. When this happens, the many years of quality friendship and political partnership may be strained beyond redemption. We can avoid it now, yes we can.
It is better to sustain the unity, mutual respect and political partnership that has been nurtured over the years, than to part ways. This is where I stand as a Justice of the Peace, JP, and without prejudice.
Finally, the best PDP gubernatorial candidate is good enough for Deltans, and the BEST among equals they must get in 2023.
PDP is the party; I stand for peace and unity, I stand with Gov Okowa!