The Bad Apple On Oshiomhole’s Gullet

The second term Governor of Edo State; Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is of recent behaving like a substitute soccer player fielded in the second half of a crucial competition.

And being starved of action for long on the bench, he is all over the field despising his wing and forgetting the rules of the game! Before his present engagement, much of what was known about the shortman from Edo included his exploits as erstwhile leader of the central trade union of Nigerian workers, the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC). Later he became the governor of the big heart State and as governor he metamorphosed into a long distance runner.

Yet with the progression of time, Oshobaba has moved from one congress to another. Whether it is Labour Congress or Action Congress or Progressives Congress, Adams has been moving about in a fashion of citizens of Aro, perplexed by sundry issues.

And as a marathoner, the vagrant continues to dart about muttering invectives aloud such that many Nigerians are presently wondering who gave this Adam the apple that opened his eyes!  Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, is one Nigerian who believes that the forbidden fruit that appears to be disposing Oshiomhole to catatonic stupor must be his occupation of a lofty office that is beyond his capacity in morality, learning and character.

Orubebe, who has threatened to expose the distrustful  deeds of the Adams of Edo, suggested that based on the man’s qualifications, Osho should be a daily presence at any of the motor parks on Ogbo hill or Ekenwam road in Benin.

Insisting that Adams is a ‘garage boy’ Orubebe exclaimed further that the area-boy status of the Edo Governor propels him to seek prominent position as a popular ‘Villa sycophant’.

The seat of the federal government is in the Aso Rock villa. The place is usually as ‘Villa’ by aficionados. But as a former minister and being conversant with what obtains at the villa, Orubebe explained that lacking in focus even as a garage boy, the governor has been manifesting symptoms of chronic oral diarrhoea saying that that explains why the marathoner has been trying to mislead Nigerians through his verbal flagellations against responsible citizens of the country.

Orubebe lamented that Osho has become a human equivalent of the environmental pollution of the Niger Delta stressing that “it is unfortunate that our respected Niger Delta could produce the likes of Oshiomhole who is a garage boy that should be at the motor park.” Orubebe insists that he knows Adams Oshiomhole very well adding that the man knows no shame.

The former Minister disclosed that the last time he checked, Oshobaba was seen along one of the streets of Benin harassing, disgracing, rough handling and verbally assaulting a widow.

From the oral evidence of Elder Orubebe, many Nigerians get the impression that the Edo helmsman must be a malevolent creature whose hideous visage disposes to malicious vituperations.

Orubebe also assured Nigerians troubled by recent disparaging comments of the Edo Governor on some eminent personalities especially of the immediate past federal government, that he would reveal the contents of Oshiomhole’s dark past. Elder Orubebe insinuated that Adams has a lot in common with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, saying that he would avail Nigerians of the secret dalliance of the marathoner with the man from Ota, over the failed third term gambit.

Could it be, then, that Oshiomhole represents the millennium model of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? Adams Aliyu Eric Oshiomhole’s path to national limelight began from his appointment as General Secretary of National Union of Textile Workers of Nigeria.

That was way back in 1982. Earlier in 1975 he became a labour mobilizer and from that opening he got the opportunity to proceed overseas for further studies as benefit of labour activism.

In 1999 the Iyamu-born activist was elected the president of Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC). The highpoint of his tenure was when he negotiated for wage increase for workers in the public service.

Preceding that negotiation, Adams was said to have been running with hare and hunting with the hunters as he hobnobbed with elements of Obasanjo’s Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) in the night and mouthed solidarity slogans by day.

Perhaps on account of his endorsement of Obasanjo’s second term in office, Adams was equally elected for a second term as General Secretary of the Textile union as he continued serving the NLC as its President. He was later to fall out with Obasanjo when he tried to protest against rising price of fuel and Obasanjo fought back with a law that makes it hard for NLC to embark on strike.

The hide and seek between Obasanjo and Oshiomhole continued until both men served out their various terms. Perhaps having mingled with the politicians and based on the loss of camaraderie between Obasanjo and Chief Tony Anenih, Oshiomhole crossed over to active politics.

Still riding on the crest of populist labour activism and propaganda, Adams contested the 2007 governorship election of Edo State on the platform of Action Congress, (AC) but was denied early victory.

However his delayed mandate was restored sixteen months later, November 12, 2008; after the Appeal Court quashed the election of the PDP candidate, Professor Oserheimen Osunbor.

Born three days after the Fool’s Day, Adams Oshiomhole has a lot of dualities in his social progression. Born in Iyamu near Auchi, Oshiomhole spent a greater part of his growing up years in the north central State of Kaduna.

From a labour union activist and leader, he transformed into a politician and political leader; from being born a Muslim, he converted to Christianity.

He as Aliyu or Eric, depending on whose lackey he wants to act! In his marital score, after his first wife traveled to the great beyond in 2010, Adams waited for five years and imported a Lara from Cape Verde to occupy the office of wife vacated by the late Clara.

And knowing that it was the late Clara that led him to Christianity, could it be that this Adams from Edo is also like the biblical Simon, a reed blown by every wind? From the time former President Goodluck Jonathan mounted the saddle as substantive president of the country and knowing that he had a second term mandate to seek, Oshiomhole danced around the president.

With the One man, one vote slogan the Okpekpe marathoner struck a chord with the presidency who proclaimed electoral credibility as his major focus.

During the build up to the 2012 governorship election in Edo State, Oshiomhole pleaded and got the then President Jonathan’s pledge to ensure a level playing field and provision of adequate security for the parties.

Having reined in the rampaging PDP machinery under Anenih, Oshiomhole clinched a second term mandate and exulted with profuse commendations to President Jonathan.

However after the March 28, 2015 election in which President Jonathan lost to the All Progressives Congress, (APC) candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari (retired), Oshiomhole turned a full circle. The vagrant marathoner became an archer, shooting at everything with a thin link to former President Jonathan.

Oshobaba began by firing his fiery verbal darts at the immediate past Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala accusing her of sundry crimes including unsubstantial claims that she pilfered with the Excess Crude Account, (ECA).

Next he accused former President Jonathan of encouraging corruption saying that in vigilant climes, citizens would stone the former President and his cabinet members.

The Edo State loose cannon facilitated the selection of his look alike, Obasanjo; to deliver the 2012 convocation lecture of Benson Idahosa University, (BIU) during which the guest lecturer poked fun at the former President.

It became clear that the former labour leader was courting new masters as he traduced the Jonathan administration with reckless abandon. No sooner was he selected as one of the members of the National Economic Council, (NEC) committee to investigate the profile and operation of the ECA, than Oshiomhole flew off the handle.

Shielded by his constitutional immunity from prosecution, Adams increased the tempo and rapidity of his wild and libelous utterances against members of the former administration, especially Dr. Okonjo-Iweala.

It was as if each passing day, Oshobaba wakes up and depending on his temperament decides on what amount fund he should accuse the former Finance Minister of. Like his elder brother, Obasanjo, it seems Oshiomhole enjoys traducing and disparaging people who fail to fall for their manipulative whims.

Reminiscent of the very pattern which he employed against the widow of Edo, who he directed to “go and die”, the foul mouthed Governor ensured that Dr. Okonjo-Iweala did not enjoy her rest by levying various accusations against her.

Most of the fictional allegations had to do with withdrawal of humongous amounts from the national treasury.

The instability of the figures he bandied indicated the perfidy in his accusation: $30 billion; $20 billion; N720 billion as well as the$2.1 billion, which the textile worker weaved that Dr. Okonjo-Iweala unilaterally withdrew from the ECA.

It took the release of an official document from the Debt Management Office, (DMO) for Nigerians to understand Oshobaba’s beef against the former Finance Minister.

DMO had explained how Dr. Okonjo-Iweala refused endorsement of the Edo Governor’s demand for three commercial loans shortly before the elections.

Justifying the Minister’s stand, DMO added the woman acted on expert advice opinion which indicated that applying the World Bank facility to service commercial loans as demanded by the Villa sycophant would endanger Edo State finances.

But perhaps to reward his rabble-rousing and for disparaging NOI, the thunder-boy of Edo was encouraged with the approval of World Bank loan.

Instead of walking away quietly with his prize, the rascally Governor alleged that the minister blocked Edo State from accessing N10 billion from the treasury. If Clara led Aliyu to Christianity, it is not clear where the import from Cape Verde is dragging the Okpekpe Phidipedes.

But in his haste to showcase himself as a Kaduna boy and warm himself to the presidency, Osho does not mind if he is seen as the gadfly of the new administration.

Whether Adams has become disenchanted with the performance of his office as governor or is plainly angling to serve as the Chief financial crimes investigator of the Buhari administration is yet to be seen.

The bad apple in Adams’ gullet is really making him restless like a changeling. For now it seems Nigerians would learn to endure the venal outbursts of the garage boy from Iyamu!