Factional system let Eddie Obeid reign rampant FOR the ALP, the big question that comes out of the ICAC investigation is this: how could an individual such as Eddie Obeid come to dominate the NSW Labor Party and by extension the NSW state government? Obeid was never a retail politician. His ministerial career was short and undistinguished. His parliamentary contributions were forgettable. And he was a magnet for controversy, from his friendships and associations to his business dealings.