It is generally believed that "politics is a dirty game" and as such, one must tell lies to be a politician. However, there are in politics, some realists and people of honour who tell the truth so that their followers know what to expect and when to expect them because they believe that lies will damage their personal reputation beyond repairs. This is why I tell the truth. I remember, many years ago, some people told me that I should not have gone into politics because I was frank to a fault. I then told them that there was no way I could defend lies without telling more lies.
Four weeks to the March, 2012 PDP natural Ward congresses, I took the initiative to meet with one or two of the oldest politicians in Ika South for us to call a meeting of the elders and leaders to reconcile aggrieved parties and resolve issues so that we could harmonise the existing factions and have peaceful Ward and L. G. A. Congresses which were expected to give us a united PDP in Ika South. This was three weeks before the demise of our brother, Hon. Ben Obuh. At the meeting which did not include late Ben Obuh, I was asked to give the names of the people I had in mind to invite to the proposed meeting. I then started as follows: Ben Obuh, Cairo Ojougboh, Martins Okonta, Doris Uboh, Queen Victoria Ikenchukwu, Chief Philip Igumbor, A. K. Emeye. At this point, I was interrupted and told that they could not hold any meeting with some of the people I had named. I then asked who these people were but I was told that some of them had carried out anti-party activities during the 2011 general elections. I responded that that was the reason for the proposed reconciliation and harmonisation but I then requested for them to give me a list of their suggested invitees. To this request, I was told to give them time for them to come up with a list which never came as at the time of writing. This was either a missed opportunity or a grand design to maintain the statues-quo of factionalisation for the continued financial benefit of the faction mongers.
Just before the congresses started, the governor called a meeting of the Elders and Leaders of the party at Warri which I attended. At the meeting, it was stressed that all Wards and L. G. A. elders and leaders should go home and put their Wards and L. G. As in order and should not allow people from other wards and local government areas to interfere in their affairs. It was further stressed that the exercise should be centred on the existing structures. This was why I attended all the Elders/Leaders meetings convened by Hon. Isaac Ulebor who was the incumbent chairman in Ika South. He was recognized as such at the Warri meeting.
When the congress dates were fixed, some of us were taken by surprise but instead of coming together for us to harmonise as directed in Warri, some of us started to hold factional meetings and to compile their congress lists outside the recognized executive committee under the leadership of Hon. Isaac Ulebor. The outcome was that the congresses were held and Hon. Isaac Ulebor was returned for a second term. What this meant was that some Ika South leaders had rejected harmonization and opted for a straight contest. When the result of the contest was announced, I had expected these people to accept the result as sportsmen, team up with the winners and look forward for another day.
What surprised me, and that is why I am writing now, is that these leaders, instead of telling their followers that the game was over, are deceiving them by telling them that their factional executive was still going to be installed by Asaba or Abuja. What this means is that from day one, Ika South is once again going to start with parallel executives. Unfortunately, these gullible followers who believe in the long experience and political guruism of their leaders will swallow these thrash talks hook, line and sinker. These deceitful tactics which have been designed to enrich their leaders alone will drive the party far away from unity into disunity and at the end of the day; Ika South will be the loser.
In conclusion, I am informing all lovers of peace and true party members in Ika South that the congresses are over and that there is a recognized Local Government Area executive committee under the leadership of Hon. Isaac Ulebor. This is the truth. If you continue to do otherwise, you may be suspended and subsequently expelled from the party. We should all unite under this leadership, make it perform to our satisfaction so that we can pursue and achieve our common goals. If we all come together now, in the event of any change in the near or distant future, we will still remain together because whosoever will be made leader, will be one of us. All of us cannot be chairmen at the same time. If we unite under an average leader, he will perform wonders but if we are divided under the most brilliant leader, he will achieve nothing. "United we stand" they say. Leaders should not deceive their followers.
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