These happenings, fortunately or unfortunately, are taking måost people’s attention out of some engaging realities on the ground at the moment. Where are some political players is one question many inquisitive Nigerians have not been asking in the last few months. And it is surprising. Nobody is asking about the whereabouts of some political demi-gods who held Nigeria on her jugular for several decades. They were still around and even calling the shots till first quater of last year. They strayed into oblivion soon after the general election.
Yes, Chiefs Tony Anenih, Bode George, Olu Falae, Jim Nwobodo, Tanko Yakassai among others are currently locked in a fierce battle on how to wriggle out of the Dasukigate currently threatening to diminish their political fortunes and relevance but there are developments around them that are more curious than the allegations that are hanging on their necks. And one of them is their new political status.
Although none of them have stepped out to say it, signal on ground is indicating that these men who belong to the old breed have exited the scene.
Cause of the sunset
Of course, Anenih, Nwobodo, Yakassai Clarke and hordes of others have bestrode the scene for nearly four decades but that is not the reason for the sudden eclipse of their political sun. Instead, it has to do with the outcome of last general election. The defeat of PDP in the election meant that they have been consigned to the dark side of their game.
“The election shortened the political journey of some politicians in the PDP, especially those of them who have been around for decades. We are happy that some of the old breeds have been compelled to retire “, a lawyer, Joe Badmus said .
The quitting of the political scene by some of the old breed is being celebrated by some of their kit and kins. And it is for personal reasons. For instance, Edo state Governor, Adam Oshiomhole have not left anybody in doubt that he is uncomfortable with Anenih’s brand of politics .
He has stridently contested Anenih’s toga as ‘Mr Fix it’ and a political godfather. And at a point caused a coffin to be carried round the state capital as a sign of an end to godfatherism in the state. “We have buried godfatherism in Edo state”, the Governor said.
Like the former PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Nwobodo, a former governor of the old Anambra state held sway as the godfather of the state for several years. His political dominance in the state was also challenged by key politicians including the former governor of Enugu state Sen.Chimaraoke Nnamani. He played a key role in the Jonathan’s presidential campaign and it was on account of that he was handed the now controverial money that came from the former NSA’s office.
In the case of Chief Edwin Clarke of Delta state, Chief Samuel Ogbemudia of Edo and Tanko Yakassai of Kano State , albeit they are known not to command a wholesome grip on the political machinery and structures of the state, they, before now, enjoyed huge clouts and influence in the nooks and crannies of their domains. Ogbemudia, a former military governor, for several years, was politically strong and that could be seen by his regular standoff with those who tried to play god. He was the one who could could stand up to Anenih .
For Bode George who also served as a military governor in Ondo state, even though his several efforts to enthrone a PDP government in Lagos failed woefully, he has remained the party’s godfather in the state. If there is any PDP stalwart who was hurt by the defeat in the last election George is one of them. His running battle with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu can only be sustained if there is a viable platform. Unfortunately, such seems out of reach, at least for now. He is at the moment floating and can even be devoured by his political opponents. Even those who were darting around him when the going was good and who have demonstrated that they were more of frenemy than friends have all abandoned him. The implication is that he may not breath lively again both at the Lagos and national political terrain.
Sure, what may perturb the likes of Anenih, Nwobodo, Yakassai and Falae is not that they are quitting politics, but that they are taking the båack seat with the oil of Dasukigate dripping from their garments.
And that is the reason they are fighting hard to clear their name in the scandal. So far the road seems long.
Agreed Nwobodo, Falae, Yakassai and Anenih admitted that that they collected the money they were accused of by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), they denied ever receiving the money from the former NSA, Sambo Dasuki.
To show how troubled these men are over the allegation, Nwobodo had to cut short his foreign trip and held a press conference the same day he returned to the country on the matter. He vigorously denied ever having anything to do with the embattled former NSA.
Anenih took a more drastic step. He wrote the anti-graft body detailing his role in the last election , his financial commitment in the Jonathan reelection project and how he was paid N263 million .
According to him, the N260 million was a refund of the N400 million he disbursed, on the instruction of Jonathan to elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai; the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Olu Falae; and the leader of the Accord Party, Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja, among others, for ‘special political assignments’ ahead of the 2015 polls.
He said that he merely, on request, gave the former President his bank account details into which the refund should be made, and that he was not in the position to ask Jonathan how he was going to source money for the refund or through which office it would refund the money .
He stressed that he had outstanding balance of N180 million to collect from the former President.
“The PDP leader made it clear in the letter to the EFCC that he was not a beneficiary of the money and that he was only acting on the instruction of Jonathan to disburse it” he said in the letter .
However, unlike Anenih, Nwobodo, Falae and Yakassai, Ogbemudia and Clarke are not leaving the political scene with a huge moral burden.
Badmus said “I think some of the old breed are lucky , their image is not dented. They have not been mentioned in the Arms contract scandal and that means that they can sleep well . “
May be other old breed fingered in the scam will , at the end of the legal battle , exonerate themselves and equally enjoy a peace of mind in their retirement like other colleagues
Source: Daily Sun
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