-Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) – By Austen AKHAGBEME:

Amidst the political fireworks, permutations and calculations, Pastor Ize- Iyamu came in handy as the much taunted bride.

Paradoxically, his suitors were his nemesis in an earlier daring and keenly contestation that broke his back badly. But like the typical Nigerian politician, he held on to the pieces of what remained of his tattered arsenal, regrouped and recalibrate.

Those who fought with him knew how fortified and nearly impregnable his structures were. So when they needed something similar with what he had, they simply went for the emperor himself and his fortress.

But that’s how the game is played; the game of politics, that is. Your enemy today can be your good friend tomorrow. And your alter- ego today can become your albatross tomorrow. Ize Iyamu has tasted it all: the intrigues, the joy of a near win and the bad taste of defeat.

Those who knew him attest to the fact that he’s a grassroot mobilizer, one that is loved by the common man on the street. His victory over other tested candidates and colleagues speaks volume of a man that has become accepted and acceptable by those who loves him and those who do not.

Ize Iyamu has always had his eyes on the ball, waiting with bated breath for a snap of an opportunity to mount the saddle. So when opportunity came, regardless of where it came from, it met with preparedness. Which is why he took it hook, line and sinker.

The coast seems clearer from one divide for Ize- Iyamu but the true battle lies ahead. For him, the story of Edo politics is the story of the known and the familiar. As he gradually lubricates his structures and contacts, backed with the almighty political good will from Abuja, efforts should be deliberately made to limit campaigns and sloganeering to cardinal development paradigms. And not personality attacks and pedestrian gimmicking often associated with politicians who have nothing to offer to the people.

To whom much is given, so much is expected. If you must earn the people’s mandate, you must dwell on what benefits the people and heals their wound. The emergence of Ize- Iyamu no doubt has added to the already spiced political environment providing for the people, a variety to choose from. And this must not be jettisoned or slaughtered on the altar of violence and lawlessness. Edo state belongs to us all. Congratulations, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

*Austen AKHAGBEME is a Columnist with Blank NEWS Online