Exodus 14:15 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to move forward!”
The forthcoming governorship election in Edo state presents a straight option for the people and residents of Edo state. The only option available to us is to move forward and not backward!
The leadership a people choose for themselves per time is pivotal to their trajectory. The last two Presidents of Nigeria have clearly shown this.
Government controls everything in a Country like Nigeria. No society can rise above the competence, personality and Character of those who run their government and by implications that society. This is why the people must be very very interested in those who run the government by being heavily involved in the process that take people to government.
Politics, by way of periodic elections, is the process that get people into government in Nigeria. I find it ludicrous to hear and read Nigerians complain about the political leadership of Nigeria, yet most often than not, the Nigerian political leadership was enabled by these same whinning Nigerians. They enabled an unbelievably empty buhari to become President which led to a certain Tinubu, with a dark past, to become President last year.
I have apologized many times for my role in supporting Tinubu to win the election, but it must be noted that Tinubu was not my first choice or even second choice in that APC primaries. I supported Prof. Yomi Osinbajo, but Tinubu emerged as the candidate of my party and for that reason I was compelled to support him, a decision I’m left to regret for the rest of my life.
I supported Tinubu because of my blind loyalty to my then party and leader. I have realised now, albeit painfully, that loyalty to my state, country and the people is much more sacrosanct than a thankless loyalty to a political party or a leader, who won’t think twice before throwing you under the bus, if it would serve his purpose.
It is at this juncture I speak to Edo people who follow one leader or the other. Why will you continue to degrade yourself running around like a headless chicken to please a leader who doesn’t value you? Follow your heart and your head. Think of future and who can best manage the future of our dear state. The leader you debase yourself for to support an almost imbecilic candidate has already sorted his future and that of his children. If Edo state burns, if Edo becomes like Somalia, they will simply relocate to Abuja, Lagos or even Europe and America to live on the fortunes they have starched abroad, but you and your children will remain here to face the consequences of your poor decisions. THINK OF FUTURE! THINK ABOUT THE EDO YOU WILL LEAVE BEHIND FOR YOUR CHILDREN!
The choice before Edo people is to move forward. In the past, pensioners were not paid. Many died on the queue while engaging in verification exercises. Verification exercises Oshiomhole concocted to deny them their dues. Many times, Adams Oshiomhole barked on these pensioners, that he would not pay them and they could do nothing about it. Same Oshiomhole is at the forefront of trying to impose an obtuse and completely unaware Monday Okpebholo to be Edo Governor, a man Oshiomhole recognises as a slow engine. Supporting Adams Oshiomhole and his goons to make Okpebholo Governor of Edo state is like supporting another to push you to a certain death. Oshiomhole and his goons have already taken care of their children and would suffer nothing from the incompetence of a Monday Okpebholo Governorship ( God forbid). Most of their children live in Europe and America while the others live in Abuja, with plum jobs. They are preparing their children for offices that they have always made you believe they will help you get appointed into. One of them, had his young son appointed into a public office few months ago. You need to wake up and smell the coffee!
This next Edo governorship election should not be about political party but about the right candidate. We must critically evaluate what the leading candidates have been saying. We must evaluate their manifestos and take them to task about their agenda for the state.
Only Asue Ighodalo has shown he has a plan for Edo state. He has been talking to Edo people, presenting his manifesto, speaking to the issues, with the right body language, passion and zest.
Olumide Akpata has only been attacking Godwin Obaseki and throwing threats around. Apparently, he is not ready for this election. Maybe in the future, depending on how he acquaints himself this year, Edo people may consider him in the future; but if he makes himself a willing tool to reduce the chances of Asue Ighodalo and increase that of the apc, a party that has made Nigeria the poverty capital of the world, who has now presented a candidate that shows its disdain for the electorates, then Olumide may well say goodbye to any chance of being voted at any level by Edo people in the future.
As a matter of fact, It will do great injustice to other Edos for Olumide Akpata, a cousin of the incumbent Governor, to seek to take over from his cousin from same Oredo when Obaseki, Lucky Igbinedion, Odigie-Oyegun and Ogbemudia were all from Oredo and Benins as Governors. It will destroy the balance that hold Edo together. We must say no to Olumide Akpata and his labour Party!
One of the reasons Edo people massively supported Obi last year was because Igbo people have been excluded from presiding over Nigeria for a very long time just like it has been with Esan in Edo state. So Edo people are generally agreed that the governorship should go to Esan or Edo central at this time to check this injustice of excluding them from the governance of the state. Olumide Akpata and Labour party insistence on running from the governorship is to my mind callous and annoying.
Lastly, Monday Okpebholo has not been talking to Edo people about his agenda. He clearly has none. The few times he attempted to talk to Edo people, he clumsily went late to his own programme in the USA by over two hours, couldn’t differentiate between a museum and a zoo and didn’t know where Igarra was in Edo state. At other times, he boasted that if he was chairman of a bank, he would flood the bank with only Esan people. He also called Godwin Obaseki an armed robber and said the governor didn’t do anything for eight years, showing clearly that his problem was not that he could not talk, but that he doesn’t have anything to say, a classic case of ex nihilo nihil fit ( out of nothing comes out nothing).
Asue Ighodalo has shown he is a visionary leader as an entrepreneur and business leader. He has helped many governments in Nigeria to formulate policies that have led to reforms in many sectors of our polity and economy. I have no doubt that he will greatly impact the future of Edo state and Edo people, galvanizing us to greatness on many fronts. This is a chance we can’t miss.
Just as God was recorded in the Bible to have told Moses to tell the people to move forward, I also say to you today, let us move forward with Asue and discard primordial ephemera sentiments. Edo will be great again!
Daniel A. Noah Osa-Ogbegie is spokesman to Asue Ighodalo and the PDP.
