Between Chief Ernest Irek and the two house of Assembly members, Who is the real renegade?

Between Chief Ernest Irek and the two house of Assembly members, Who is the real renegade?

My attention has been drawn to a write up circulating the internet purportedly written by one Chief Enerst Irek in which he derogatorily addressed my colleague, Rt. Hon. Friday Okpechi and I in the House of Assembly as renegades  and four seating councillors of Obubra Local Government council as recalcitrants in an attempt to inappropriately induce, intimidate and blackmail the chairman of council, Dr. Bassey Tom into doing his selfish and unpatriotic biddings. 

Ordinarily, I wouldn't have dignified such an obvious sign of political retardation and botheration with a response. But for the purpose of putting records straight, I'll like to make a few points.

The writer, in an obtuse bid to massage his ego and satisfy his false sense of accomplishment and entitlement, exposed his ignorance, greed, insincerity or for the purpose of unethical politics, deliberately misapplied the term 'renegade' 

According to the Marian Webster online dictionary, the term 'renegade' is defined as "a person who deserts and betrays an organization, country or set of principles" or alternatively, one who treacherously changes allegiance'. The synonyms for the word include: traitor, betrayer, rebel, fifth columnist, mutineer Etc. The question now is, between Chief Ernest Irek who is notorious for political harloting, having moved   from one party to another and having worked against his party in many stakes for selfish reasons; and my colleague and I, who is the real renegade? And how does belonging to a political party and remaining in same amount to being a rebel, traitor or renegade?

Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides as follows: Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular, he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any association for the protection of his interests.

The above section confers legitimacy on my decision to remain in the people's Democratic Party or associate with any other party or person. 

Responding to his pejorative ebullition, I consider it imperative to remind the writer and his Co-travelers on the road to perdition of the popular saying that" Those whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad". It is obvious that the gods have decided to expose his many political sins behind the scenes in Obubra and are set to redeem our beloved LG from his claws. 

Chief Ernest, having entered his political menopause and having forced himself to remain relevant in the scheme of things to no avail,  should device a different legitimate means of survival rather than resorting to advancing his beggarly and politically dependent lifestyle. This will at least save us from the embarrassment of having some of our elders constantly begging and surviving on crumbs from politicians. And most times, if possible, selling our collective destiny for a morsel of cake. 

Enough is enough.

Obubra is not your property

Stop feeling entitled to it. 

Hon. Frank Ovat

Obubra ll State Constituency

CRSHA.