Most Edo people believe that it is the right of the electorate – market women, traders, civil society, and persons with disability,
Irrespective of gender to choose who governs them. It is not the prerogative of any group or political godfathers to hold brief for Edo people in determining who becomes the next governor of their state.
By Charles Iyare
Nearly everybody in Edo State wants to experience a credible governorship election this year. It would be a reflection of the people’s desire for a democratic and civil government.
It would engender a political system that can rival the landmark achievements and legacies of past administrations like that of Professor Ambrose Alli and Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia.
There have been various showings of religious, traditional, ethnic and party interests bordering on who should take over from the current administration.
Some of the conflicting issues range from allegations of Godfatherism, the people’s right to decide and not to be decided for, the party and candidates that have the leadership quality to deliver democratic dividends among others.
In a press release on ThisDay of 6th January, 2016 Chairman of the Benin Leaders of Thought (BLT) and Enogie of Obazuwa, Prince Edun Akenzua, said that the BLT frowns at the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole’s perceived imposition of a preferred candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as successor in the governorship election billed for July this year.
The group warned against the re-introduction of Godfatherism which the governor fought against in the past.
In the same vein, former commissioner for investment under governor Oshiomhole and founder of a pressure group known as Edo Accord, Dennis Idahosa and his followers have constantly pitched their tenth with the Comrade Governor.
The group has on several occasions publicly declared their support for anyone the Comrade Governor deems fit to govern Edo State.
The current administration of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has recorded series of achievement during his administration especially in areas such as education, health, roads and transport and the strengthening of the Edo State Board of Internal Revenue.
The Oshiomhole administration also initiated the passage of the Public Procurement Bill into law among others. Before now, Edo State was known for its high level of examination malpractice (miracle centres) compared to other states in Nigeria. But the Comrade Governor has since intervened and brought it to zero level.
This has not stopped the current administration from opening its door for all sorts of criticism and commendations, owing to the fact that the comrade governor has a pedigree as a grassroots person who spearheaded a lot of mass rallies against obnoxious government policies.
Over the years in Edo State, there were a good number of protests and agitations from various groups across the state, who expressed their grievances or support as the case may be.
These groups have had a fair share of articulating their strong views against the Oshiomhole administration but none so far has been victimized or blacklisted.
The health sector as well witnessed increase in its capacity to meet health challenges of Edo people such as infant/maternal mortality, malaria and some other health issues that had recorded high death rate before now.
The current health structure being built in specialist hospital is a testament to the government’s input in that sector.
Roads construction and transportation are the most visible achievements under the current administration of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
The government took steps to ameliorate the plight of commuters who could barely afford high transportation cost over the years through the provision of the Rural/Urban Mass Transit Bus, aka Comrade Bus.
These buses ply the state for as cheap as N50 to N150 for journeys of 10km to 50km and more.
This is not to say that the government did not experience any form of short comings or policies that were not people-friendly.
For instance, in the areas of agriculture, industries for manufacturing of goods, non-payment of local government workers salaries in Egho, and the hike in tuition fee in the state university were among the major hiccups in the Oshiomhole administration.
A Premium Times report of November 15, 2015 stated that there had been a decision to increase school fees in Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, for the 2015/2016 Academic Session.
There is no doubt that judging from the high rate of poverty, many parents’ hope of sending their children to state- owned institution is already dashed as the over 200% tuition fee hike may be unaffordable by some parents.
Education in its real sense ought to be a right and not a privilege. It is the responsibility of government to ensure that education is affordable and that most of its citizens attend school.
One other area wherein the Edo State government had problems throughout last year, 2015, was the backlog of salaries (which has gotten to one year) owed staff of Egor local government council.
The unpaid salaries of the local government workers were highly politicized to the detriment of hundreds of workers in the local government area.
The local government council missed out on the Federal Government bailout due to failure of their officials to meet the Federal Government deadline to submit their claims.
This degenerated into so many controversies, especially that relating to poor supervision of the local government area by the suspended former chairman Victor Enobakhare.
Also, it is difficult to identify a successful agricultural programme that was developed to sustain farmers in Edo state over the years.
Edo state has long-term plans to reform the land tenure system especially because the state has a rich agricultural heritage.
But the state government in 8 years had serious issues with its inability to maximize this immense agricultural potential and the capacity to produce food and generate revenue, through exportation of cash crops, even for the short term benefits – farmers have not benefited much in agricultural schemes.
Most of the agricultural policies are written on paper and are not being felt in the lives of the people.
It is in this light that the Edo people are very critical and full of expectations on who emerges as next governor of their state.
Anyone who succeeds this government is expected to have a robust Board of Internal Revenue and Public Procurement Agency as tools to generate resources and follow due process in awarding of contracts that will bring about quality infrastructural development.
It must be the one with creative ability to diversify the economy and earn huge income and get the best hands to execute public projects with the backing of the law.
It is pertinent to state that Edo State has witnessed peace even in difficult times and this took place with the cooperation of the civil society, the executive, judiciary, the legislature, and security operatives, religious and traditional rulers.
Against this backdrop, it will be a great let down by any individual or group irrespective of party, political, regional, religious, traditional, social and ethnic affiliation to put self-aggrandizement and self-interest ahead of the general well-being of Edo citizens in the coming election in Edo State.
Most Edo people believe that it is the right of the electorate – market women, traders, civil society, and persons with disability, irrespective of gender to choose who governs them.
It is not the prerogative of any group or political godfathers to hold brief for Edo people in determining who becomes the next governor of their state.
Stakeholders should eschew politics of bitterness, hatred and violence, character assassination of opponents, victimization and violent attacks against some group or individuals, and the use of armed touts to perpetrate violence.
It is also the responsibility of the state orientation agency, ministry of youths and sports, women affairs, civil society, INEC among others, to carry out a radical enlightenment campaign to address voters on the dangers of political violence.
The electorate must understand that they cannot perpetually rely on money politics, being used by politicians to achieve their selfish goals.
Like former president Goodluck Jonathan said, no life is worth the aspiration of any politician’s ambition.
Competence, pedigree and intellectual background of the aspirants of the various parties should be fundamental in influencing one’s vote or choice of candidate.
Charles Iyare, Monitoring &Evaluation, ANEEJ, Benin City.
