CRPP is Edo PDP disguised

By Citizens Popular Party Edo State Chapter

Coalition of Registered Political Parties outburst- a case of selective amnesia by a PDP masquerade; being a response by Edo State Citizens Popular Party, 37 New Lagos Road, Benin City. 17th Sept. 2009.

The Citizens Popular Party, Edo State Chapter is greatly constrained to join issues with the Coalition of Registered Political Parties especially its recent outburst against the Edo State government of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; not because we sympathise with the CRPP or the government of Oshiomhole, but because any attempt to respond to the basket of lies and deceptions made by Mr. Isibor (the group's spokesman) will be unduly portraying him as a formidable stakeholder in the affairs of Edo State. However, we are cautioned by the immortal declaration of Karl Marx “to live an error uncorrected is to encourage intellectual immorality”. It is on the strength of this philosophy that we resolved to squarely set the records straight.

1. The Coalition of Registered Political Parties is a splitter group or a factional group from the well known Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) during the Court of Appeal sacked Prof. Osunbor's administration (2007- 2008). The primary objective was to do the hatchet job that the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) refused to do for that administration i.e. to be a “praise singing arm of the State Government”.

2. That upon the declaration of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as Governor of Edo State in November 2008, the Coalition of Registered Political Parties made frantic efforts to enlist the support of our great Party (the Citizens Popular Party) and other credible parties to approach Governor Oshiomhole on a courtesy visit with a view to pledging our support for his Government i.e. to offer ourselves as a pro-propaganda machine for the Oshiomhole led administration. Alas, the CPP rejected the proposition because it was against the spirit and letters of the ideology of our great party, even if we endorsed Oshiomhole and the Action Congress prior to the 2007 election; and the Governor and the ruling party appears to have reneged on our understanding, we cannot do any “face-lifting jobs” for his government because we exist for the larger interests of the populace and our members.

3. In the catastrophic press conference addressed recently by Mr. Isibor the CRPP betrayed its masquerade disposition by displaying outright alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party. This was more evident by the condemnation of the Akoko Edo election result when in fact, the Isibor led Democratic People's Party (DPP) did not participate in the re-run exercise. Where were Isibor and his masquerade CRPP when the Court of Appeal sacked Prof. Osunbor administration rigged out all popular candidates of the opposition parties during the December 2007 Local Government Councils elections. Some distinguished members of the Peoples Democratic Party were patriotic enough to deploy or condemn the blatant flaws that greeted the exercise. It therefore amounts to selective amnesia, a disposition by which a politician hypocritically presents himself as a radical-saint at a particular circumstance and close his eyes at another. This is to say the least unfortunate and unhealthy culture for the growth of our democracy.

4. The allegation against the government over the purchase of jeeps for political leaders and the malicious criticism of the beautification projects for Benin City is to the best of our party's knowledge a self-serving mission which will obviously produce disservice. We cannot assume the mount-piece of Edo State Government and we will not compromise the astute and incorruptible resolve of our party to hold every ruling government accountable to the people. Let us advise that in as much as it is crucial and an exercise of our rights and freedoms to criticise government's actions or inactions, we must embark on such exercises with a great degree of decorum and a modicum of frankness and caution.

5. On the lingering cold-conflict between the Edo State House of Assembly and the Executive arm of State Government, we call on the Assembly to thread with caution and portray itself as a partner to good governance rather being a persistent clog in the will of good governance. We particularly frown at the double standard on the feud over the nominees for the Universal Basic Education Commission submitted to the House by Comrade Oshiomhole. It is a case of “when two elephants fight, the grass suffers”. The CPP is absolutely informed that there is no court order whatsoever restraining the Assembly from screening and confirming the nominees of the Governor for the Commission, and yet the delay in sending the nominees the headquarters is costing the State Government as much as 74 million naira monthly. And the reason advanced by the Assembly men is infantile and neither here nor there. At best, the House should constitute the Commission and encourage the aggrieved dissolved members who are in court to pursue their case to its logical conclusion and when they defeat the Governor, the Governor is taught a hard lesson. But the prevailing situation right now is one that is obviously denying our dear State of the dividends of the counterpart funds deposited by the State Government.

6. On the Oredo Local Government Council, again, the Assembly has shown a great degree of white-washed political sentimentality by attempting to carpet the Governor's intervention culminating in the suspension of Hon. Mike Ehima, the weight of evidence outpouring before the Justice Edokpayi's commission of enquiry speaks volumes of the colossal damage that Ehima perpetuated. These evidences are not coming-in from Action Congress or Edo State Government, but from the PDP councillors whom have earlier impeached their council boss. While will the House betray itself by commenting or passing a motion on a matter like the Oredo Council's own, which is already before a court of competent jurisdiction after it had claimed that the reason it will not act on the UBE Commission matter was because it was pending in court.

7. In our view, we appreciate the Comrade Governor; the Acting Chairman and Councillors of Oredo Council by displaying a great degree of developmental politics by crying out against Ehima instead of the usual practice of “Family Affair” which the PDP is known for. We urge the Ovia Council's councillors to sustain their accountability campaign against their chairman until he is also exposed.

8. We call on the Governor to as a matter of urgency constitutes an in-house committee of some his aides to investigate the Ghana-Must-Go bags of allegations against his Commissioner for Education as she has been accused of tribal bias against Edo People when in fact she is supposed to be Edo by marriage as she is more disposed to her Igbo tribe at the detriment of Edo people. She has been carrying on as if the directive of the State Governor and House of Assembly to her in respect of illegally obtained fees and levies from students does not matter. If she is not called to order and brought to book, her actions may cast doubt in the integrity of the Oshiomholes administration and a negative precedent established.

We strongly believe that we are all stakeholders in the good governance foundation being laid by the Oshiomhole's administration; yet, we should not lose sight of fundamental flaws therein. And this must be done with a great degree of responsibility and objectivity.

Elder Francis Omokhua- State Publicity Secretary.