By Olusola Balogun

Theirs is another classic story of things fall apart and the centre failing to hold. Edo’s self-styled comrade-governor, Adams Oshiomhole, and former chairman of the Board of Trustee of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Anthony Anenih, started out as staunch political allies, but they have since gone their different ways giving way to deep-seated hatred and acrimony.

Yesterday’s bye-election for the disputed seat of Etsako state constituency in the state house of assembly is seen by many as a litmus test of the shape and shade of things to come in Edo state come 2011 and beyond.

Suddenly, Edo state became turbo-charged with both sides throwing political jabs and bombs to the trepidation of many. The re-run between PDP, Hon. Chris Umogbai and Johnson Oghuma of the Action Congress (AC), suddenly became significant because it is the first election where Anenih and Oshiomhole will cross political swords since the AC governor declared war on Anenih.
The re-run taking place in Oshiomhole’s constituency is a must win for the two political leaders. For Oshiohmole, it is a plus for the AC and a further consolidation of the governor’s grip on power. It also means that the grip of the PDP in Edo is being significantly weakened. But for Anenih, a defeat will mark the beginning of the end of his firm grips on his fiefdom in Edo.

Anenih has remained constant in the politics of his home state since the old Bendel, and now Edo State. He is one politician that every political opponent both within and without Edo dreads and adores that he was given the tag of ‘Mr. Fix-it’ for the manner he always has his hands in every hot political pie, especially in the days leading to the emergence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo as President.
Anenih, who played key roles in the June 12, 1993 political saga, seems to know the paradoxes that make political figures powerful and uses them to his advantage.

It is this mystique figure and one of a master strategist that the former labour leader is daring in a battle for the soul of a state that the high chief has held like his empire for about 10 years.
Oshiomhole on the other hand is a tireless fighter who is not known to suffer fools gladly. He cut his teeth as a fighter not known to back off easily even in the face of deadly assailants. Those who know the pint-size governor says he is not one that starts a battle he cannot finish successfully. They point at his many brushes with rampaging former President Olusegun Obasanjo and how Obasanjo’s eloquent information minister, Professor Jerry Gana, took a duck when challenged by Oshiomhole for a public debate over government’s planned deregulation.

After Oshiomhole finished his two terms of four years as NLC president, he indicated his intention to contest Edo governor’s seat in 2007 and pitched his tent with the precocious AC. Expectedly, Anenih would not allow such invasion and he plotted the defeat of the former labour leader by ensuring that his estranged former godson, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, emerged winner in the guber poll that observers believed was deeply flawed and controversial in the history of elections in the state.

However, Oshiomhole is not a man given to accepting defeat easily. He frontally challenged Osunbor at the tribunal. Before the case reached a crescendo, Osunbor committed a political blunder. He felt having won the coveted office of the governor of Edo, it was proper to build his own political empire rather than remain in the shadow of Anenih. He wanted to break free of the shackles of Anenih. The law lecturer was said to have supported former President Olusegun Obasanjo during his war to unhorse Anenih. He did everything in the books to under-cut Anenih and everything he stands for. Those of his loyalists that refused to bow were embarrassed with the help of Obasanjo and the then national chairman, Ahmadu Ali.

Anenih allegedly felt slighted by Osunbor’s actions and vowed to deal with him. He was said to have worked relentlessly to ensure that Osunbor never return from the tribunal triumphant. It was alleged that the grand master pulled the rugs off the feet of Osunbor by discouraging several key PDP witnesses from testifying in favour of Osunbor. This act immediately handed Oshiomhole an upper hand and he coasted to victory easily. Oshiomhole was happy with Anenih for assisting in liberating the state from Osunbor’s illegal rule and a kind of alliance emerged between the two. The labour leader naturally decided to compensate him with some appointments in the formation of his government. In an all-party executive council meetings, Oshiomhole allegedly requested Anenih to submit names for four appointments as his commissioners. Anenih was said to have described Oshiomhole as his son at a public function in the state in June 2009 and spoke glowingly of the governor and solicited support for him to succeed.
In response, Oshiomhole at the occasion referred to Anenih as his father and asserted that he would continue to accord him respect as a “leader” irrespective of the fact that they are not in the same political party.

The twosome however fell out soon after. The reason for that is conflicting. One source claimed it was Oshiomhole’s decision to renege from an earlier agreement to defect to the PDP after clinching the Edo governor’s seat that caused it, while another group claimed it was the manner the governor handled the bye-election in Akoko Edo state constituency in the State House of Assembly.
The Court of Appeal ordered the rerun election into the Akoko-Edo constituency 1 when it ruled that the PDP candidate in the state House of Assembly election, Anselem Agbabi, was not duly elected. After the election, the AC candidate, Kabiru Adjoto, defeated the PDP candidate. What caused the friction but the manner of the defeat. He said there was an understanding between the governor and Anenih to allow for a free, fair and violent-free election. Anenih reportedly respected the agreement; he told his party members to cast their votes and leave the rest to him. He warned against any violence. He was sure the PDP was popular in the area and would win the election. After all, that is the constituency of the PDP leader in the House of Representatives, Hon. Tunde Akogun and Senator Isa Braimoh.

Unfortunately, the Oshiomhole camp had former PDP members who were formerly in the House of Representatives, but lost their bid for re-election in PDP. They include current deputy governor of Edo State, Dr Pius Odubu, Agriculture Commissioner, Tunde Lakoju and that of Information, Abdul Oroh. They saw the re-run election as pay back time.
A source claimed it was after the Akoko-Edo rerun that Anenih realised he had to tackle Oshiomhole headlong if he is to be politically relevant in Edo. He may have realised that though Oshiomhole may be small in stature, but a giant in political sagacity, so the battle line was drawn.

But yet another source said the Akoko-Edo rerun and the alleged refusal of Oshiomhole to decamp to PDP caused the open spat.
Anenih fired the first salvo in a village in Ewohimi village in Edo Central when a governorship aspirant of AC, Clement Imasualo, declared for the PDP. Anenih who was present at the occasion lambasted the Oshiomhole government over failure to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people. He said Oshiomhole does not know the difference between being a governor and a labour activist. Governance, according to him, is not about making fabulous speeches and getting applause from students. He said the AC means, “Air-condition without compressor”. There was another occasion in Benin, the Edo State capital where PDP had a rally at NTA pavilion. At the rally, Chief Anenih said the PDP must dislodge the AC in the next election in Edo State. He said Oshiomhole must be defeated for the PDP to return to the Government House. He said this was going to be possible because of what he termed as Oshiomhole’s failure in office.

Diminutive Oshiomhole could no longer take the verbal arrows and decided to fight back.
An opportunity came when six chairmen of the PDP-controlled local government areas declared for the Action Congress (AC). Oshiomhole decided to fire potshots at Mr Fix-it. He said it was time to retire the Edo godfather. He said any father who does not realise that his children will one day grow up is not fit to be called a father. He vowed to supervise the retirement of Anenih from politics.
Since then, the bitterness and acrimony have been growing ahead of the re-run in Etsako. In the run up to the re-run polls, the governor had threatened to jail both Osunbor and Anenih, if they breach the peace during the election.
Oshiomhole was quoted as telling a cheering crowd at Fugar that ”Whether Anenih likes it or not, I am the chief security officer of Edo State. I can restrict his movement in this state if he becomes a security risk. I can arrest him, prosecute him and have him jailed.” Also, the governor promised Osunbor a time in prison for his past electoral fraud and failure to provide Edo citizens good service while he was in charge.

Oshiomhole stated, “June 12 election, which powered Abiola, Anenih sold it. He sold the anchor because he hated free and fair election. Is that the man who will stand in this holy land of Fugar to open his mouth to say ‘when we were campaigning they were busy buying arms? All the people who were involved in the act they are now in prison. And Adjoto who won the election on Monday, he would be in prison.”

He added,“Is Anenih in government? Does he control the police? That is how they indulge in empty boasts because what he was saying is to suggest that he is in charge of the judiciary. That he can instigate judges to issue bench warrant. Our judiciary is not for sale. Anenih must be so told. That is why we brought Adjoto to show himself.” The PDP had earlier while campaigning in Fugar with Anenih and Senator Osunbor threatened to deal with those planning to make trouble during the election.

The PDP had earlier accused the AC of stockpiling arms preparatory to the election. In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Nosa Adams, the party claimed it has proofs that the AC-led administration was mobilising and recruiting some youths for the January 23 polls. The party expressed misgivings about the election following the arrest by the police of an alleged chieftain of AC, Eric Aghamioghogho, in Benin.

Aghamioghogho was allegedly arrested with arms and ammunition, including military bulletproof jackets, uniforms, police belts and objects suspected to be charms. ??
But the AC denied that Aghamioghogho is a member of the party and accused the PDP of amassing arms and sowing military uniforms preparatory to the elections.
AC Publicity Secretary, Reti Uzzi, alleged that it was because of the PDP’s desperation to scuttle the election through accumulated arms and security uniforms that made Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the polls from January 16 to 23.