EDO 2016: RETURN OF THE GODFATHER

Where was Comrade Oshiomhole when the innocent people of Edo state were being brutalized and terrorized by EDSTMA maniacs who threw caution, decency, modern traffic procedures and humanness to the winds while running their questionable enterprise?
There is no doubt that the Governor, who prides himself as an advocate of social justice waited for too long to act decisively, once and for all, in public interest. While the Comrade Governor waited tactically, he simply turned the other eye to allow some useless, jobless, selfish, inhumane and greedy party stalwarts to pounce on the innocent people of Edo state through their surrogates, using traffic control or management as a façade.

Comrade Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole recently applied the big stick once again, against Edo State Traffic Management Authority (EDSTMA), knocking them off their usual nefarious and very much hated business.

But the question remains simply: who is fooling who? Yes! Who does the Comrade Governor think he is fooling?

Does he think he is a political ‘Solomon,’ wiser than the knowledgeable and sensitive people of Edo state?

If our memory is right, this is the second time in the life of his administration that the Governor would be putting the Edo State Traffic Management Authority out of circulation after they gave the public an unimaginable dosage of unwarranted terror.

The reasons the Comrade Governor gave for sending them packing again, this time around is not new to the much oppressed and maligned people of Edo state.

The sacked EDSTMA officials have been known notoriously for stark extortion of law abiding and peaceful citizens of the state under the guise of traffic control.

While their evil reign lasted, with support from high quarters, these EDSTMA thugs operated like tin gods and inflicted untold hardship and brazen torture on the vulnerable people.

Where was Comrade Oshiomhole when the innocent people of Edo state were being brutalized and terrorized by EDSTMA maniacs who threw caution, decency, modern traffic procedures and humanness to the winds while running their questionable enterprise?

There is no doubt that the Governor, who prides himself as an advocate of social justice waited for too long to act decisively, once and for all, in public interest.

While the Comrade Governor waited tactically, he simply turned the other eye to allow some useless, jobless, selfish, inhumane and greedy party stalwarts to pounce on the innocent people of Edo state through their surrogates, using traffic control or management as a façade.

Why did the Comrade Governor betray the people in such a fashion after what they did for him in 2007 during the governorship election and in 2012?

It is a well-known fact that market women and pure water hawkers in all the major markets in the state are being subjected to pay all sorts of fees /levies to some nasty and fierce looking thugs working for ‘a band of political merchants’ that have one connection or the other to Dennis Osadebey Avenue (State House).

Today’s experience of the masses of Edo State certainly represents a complete opposite of Oshiomhole’s promise in 2007 and in 2012 to protect and defend civil society.

Make no mistake, Oshiomhole will unequivocally go down in history as one of the best things that have happened to Edo State in terms of construction and rehabilitation of roads; and other laudable efforts he has made in some other sectors.

It will be so because, with his good performance he rubbished the eight years of poor performance by his predecessors.
But the grudge is that the ordinary people do not seem to have a place in his democratic agenda!

His has been a very sad story of ‘used and dumped.’ Where is the Youth Employment Scheme (YES) that the governor sang and danced with in his political manifestoes?

These guys are now roaming the streets aimlessly, hungry and panting for survival.

What about the last Local Government Election in the state, was it free, fair and credible?

Today, the Comrade Governor has turned full circle after he incredibly sent the political godfathers packing and completely out of business by his victory in the governorship elections in 2007 and 2012.

The road to the race of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries in Edo state is being dug up and covered with political land mines, purchased and delivered allegedly by Comrade Oshiomhole’s foot soldiers because one Mr. Godwin Obaseki is the alleged ‘anointed aspirant.’

For example, Barr. Gentleman Amegor, seen by many as an absolutely dedicated party man in the fold of the APC and several others are being allegedly hounded and persecuted because they are demanding due process, transparency, equity and fairness in the way the party’s governorship candidate should emerge.

It is not too late for the Comrade Governor to retrace his steps, call his ‘warriors’ to order and ensure that a level playing field is made available for all those who have indicated interest to participate in the APC governorship primaries.

Who says the Comrade Governor should not be interested in who succeeds him in November 2016?

He has every right to have interest in who succeeds him, but it should not be done to the detriment of other aspirants.

We know absolutely that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu showed interest in whom he wanted to succeed him as Governor of Lagos state, but available records show that his successors till date went through durable, open and credible party primaries.

Who says any one cannot aspire to be a political godfather? But because of the terrible chains that became the lots of the people of Edo state before the emergence of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in 2007, the people definitely do not need another godfather in the likeness of the former notorious ‘godfather’ in Edo state.