Mass Decamping into APC: Legislators give insight on what it portends, opinionate on the call for a new EDHA Speaker

By Bernadette Idalu

Even as members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, sang praises of Governor Monday Okpebholo on Wednesday, calling him a servant -leader with abilities to attract topnotch personalities to the All Progressives Congress, (APC) fold as exemplified by his personal reception of new members from across the eighteen Local Government Areas of the state, at the New Festival Hall, Edo State Government House, former Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, (EDHA), Rt. Hon. Francis Abumere Okiye used the occasion to tell Edo State citizens to brace up for better days.

Rt. Hon. Francis Okiye who viewed the development from an emotional and objective approach said the influx into the party would affect decision making for politics is a game of numbers. He stated that decision making within the party would be final at the level of the electorates.

On the objective level, Okiye said the product the APC now had, at the drivers seat, which is Governor Monday Okpebholo, was demonstrating acceptability by being on ground not just to personally receive those who decamped but also had an uncanny ability to attract quality individuals into the party folds.

Nonetheless, Okiye while reacting to the call by the Edo North Conscience (ENC) group's communiique which directed Blessing Agbebaku to step down as Speaker, Edo State House Of Assembly, (EDHA), based on the fact he is presently in the political minority, stated, "The issues of the House is a domestic affair of the House."

   

Speaking as a former leader of the House, from a historical perspective, Okiye explained, "A leader of the House must not come from the majority party. Once elections are conducted and winners inaugurated, the House is formed. It becomes a different constituency. That is why the heads of such constituencies are addressed as Rt. Honourables because they would have to choose among themselves who should lead them. 

"It doesn't matter which party you are from. If the House members feel you still have the capacity to lead them, so be it. But, they need two-third or sixteen members, which means, they even still need more from the PDP. This means it is not about who is in the majority but it is about the acceptability and capacity to lead other members."

However, Hon. Donald Okogbe representing Akoko Edo Constituency two (2) had his views. He stated that "Politics is about alignment and realignment of political forces," informing "Every politician seeks means to attract projects to their constituencies hence decamping on its own merit is a function of two things - the government or leadership."

He revealed that before that switch is made, politicians had to ask themselves "Is the governor performing? In this case, it is a yes. Also, where you are moving to, is it viable? If yes is the case, then you would be able to attract development to your people."

Okogbe stated that some of them who represent constituencies that are not really cosmopolitan in nature, are in a hurry to bring development to the rural areas and to the people back home. More people, he assured, would align with the party in coming days because they want their areas to be part of development.

Reacting to the alleged call for a power shift in the EDHA, Okogbe said "It is a natural consequence. Once you attain majority number there are some benefits that come to you. It is normal in politics. It is expected that certain leadership would shift. But, the good thing about democracy is that majority will have their way but minority will have their say. 

"Some offices would go to majority and some would go to minority. No one is left without their own leadership. One thing you should be assured of is that it would be done peacefully. At the Edo State House of Assembly we see ourselves as one. Outside of party division, we see ourselves as working together for the good of Edo State. 

"What needs to be said is that the movement we are seeing now and the realignment we are seeing is a function of existing division, internal division and coercion, internal division, so to speak, within the party."

He noted that what we must all do to encourage internal democracy, is to have a leadership that is responsive to the yearnings of their party members so that parties can be kept united. Also, he mentioned the need to embrace ideological politics. He said it is when there are no ideological difference that you see a lot of movements and realignments.

"Parties today in Nigeria are vehicles to bring development. There is no concrete, serious ideological difference so when someone asks if you are betraying, what is the ideological difference between the one you are leaving and the one you are going to? What distinguishes politicians today in Nigeria is really not ideology but being development minded or not, or, you thinking about your people. This causes such persons to move to where you can get such projects for your people."