The apt phrase is the English one that says, “it is nothing to write home about.” That is the best way to recount and recap the period of transgressions of Godwin Obaseki, in his day as Governor of Edo State. To say the least, the recount is paralytically depressing; he left Edo as a relic of the yesteryears. While we cannot at this time go into the details of the rot and onslaught Obaseki wantonly brought upon us as a people, we use this medium to alert him and his urchins that we are awake to their tactics, and to advise Edo people to disregard him, as he is a huge joke!
His hold of the reins of Edo State was all about pecuniary gains; making money to guarantee that he would never be broke again in his lifetime. That singular objective of his, is what led to the infrastructural decay, and lack of development of the state that we all suffer today, that our Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo is grappling with. The state of affairs which they now push on social media is not nascent. His shamelessness, hypocrisy, deceit and duplicity is at play; a so-called technocrat could descend to becoming a predator of Edo’s collective patrimony. It wasn’t our considered intention to mention all this, but he has made it necessary, and need to set the records straight.
We are highly vexed that Godwin Obaseki’s colony of vuvuzellas would attempt to advise that the government devote attention to the GRA Benin roads, instead of constructing a flyover at Adesuwa Junction. Were they blind to the parlous state of GRA Benin roads just eleven months ago? Why didn’t they fix them? It is now convenient to offer officious and gratuitous advice to a government that is working a beneficial plan. Even after Godwin Obaseki was stuck on Benin-Sapele road after a heavy rainfall, rather than fix the road, he erected a signpost asking Edo people to bear with his helpless situation. It is Governor Okpebholo who is now fixing that road!
Former Governor Obaseki’s noisy urchins recently declared without equivocation that their principal is ready to appear before any probe panel; what cheering news! He is most welcome, as he has a lot of questions to answer. The State Assembly Committee looking into the shady deals of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) and the Radisson Hotel, Benin City, will reach him soon. These two projects that are shrouded in secrecy and malfeasance readily come to mind. His appearance would be most instructive and helpful, in unraveling the fraud that birthed those two projects. Edo people would be shocked to their marrows to see the malfeasant transactions that was the modus operandi during that bizarre regime. The man simply channeled his knowledge into crime.
By barely six months in office, Edo state communities and villages were already wearing a new look. Governor Okpebholo has picked up the gauntlet to restore Edo’s lost glory with simultaneous projects underway. Edo is presently wearing a new look. Schools are being fixed, roads are being recovered, hospitals and healthcare centers are being renovated, burnt markets are being rebuilt, salary arrears are being paid, teachers are being recruited, fresh civil servants are being employed, while the psyche of an average Edo person has been stabilised. Furthermore, the APC political party is devoid of any squabbles and negative energy; that in itself supports development and beneficial deployment of resources. Edo is no longer embroiled in a game of thorns as the PDP was in the Obaseki days.
The Governor extends the olive branch to all- constructive and objective suggestions are welcome. Even the PDP turncoat politicians who now want to join APC for rehabilitation, are welcome and so are their developmental contributions. All that we demand, is good faith. We ask Edo people not to be deceived or swayed by Obaseki’s machinations, as he is only desperately trying to refurbish his image which he battered on his own volition; but he will not be allowed to use Governor Okpebholo as his fall guy! Our governor is ready and willing to extract every kobo stolen from Edo coffers, in the spirit of accountability and transparency; Obaseki is afraid that the lid is now threatening to come off. In the meantime, we ask Edo people to be at peace with themselves, knowing full well that the government prioritizes them, and is working night and day to make Edo great again. May God Almighty bless our state, the Governor, and its people.
