Liyel Imoke: A Crack From Within

 

An African proverb says that ‘a Toad does not run in the day time for nothing. Unless it is after something or something is after it.

 A recent video of the Governor of Rivers State, widely shared, points to the fact that all is not well within the PDP family in the South South. The Governor is known as a swinger, he doesn’t spare his opponents and has been known to blast friends who err too. 

One wonders if Liyel is a friend to him right now. Given that they belong to the same party but a divided one as Wike himself acknowledged. 

In trying to wrestle  Cross River State from Governor Ben Ayade, Wike and Liyel have ended up weakening themselves and the PDP. 

In Cross River you either belong to the Liyel camp or the Wike camp. The division of the opposition indicates that there could be a clean sweep for the APC in the forth coming elections. 

It is becoming clearer why Ayade decided to cross carpet. It is becoming obvious that he needs a stable environment to implement his laudable policies before the next elections and the PDP, historically known to self destruct, will not accord him the stability he desires.

Wike is a bully. His strategy has always been to bully his opponents to submission. Has he met his most formidable opponent in Liyel? A man fighting for his political life in Cross River? 

Liyel has already been floored by Ayade, is he going to let Wike take the reigns of the party in his backyard? 

Liyel had a public fall out with Donald Duke, his predecessor in office, that lasted for years. They made up only recently as a result of Ayade’s Chess move but their uneasy alliance may not last because the crux of the matter has been papered up.

Now we have a triangle. One which consists of Liyel, Donald and Wike, all fighting for the right to be called Ayade’s opponent.  The need for clarity is important but clarity may not come from people who had run the state down for 16 years. Mortgaged the state and left the pieces for Ayade to pick up. 

As these two Elephants fight, the state doesn’t have to suffer. The APC has never had a good opportunity as this to coast to victory.

It is time to nominate candidates that the people can respond to. Candidates that have capacity. That are electable. 

The prognosis for the PDP as an opposition party is not good. As they bicker and fight like school children in a play area, the people are devoid of good representation and constructive criticism of Government. 

They need to put their house in order but alas, the time may already be too short to do so.