By Kassim Afegbua
Politics carries with it an ensemble of contradictions and unforced errors. It ridicules those who think they have climbed to Olympian heights, humbles those who display unrestrained arrogance and generally dazes those who are mere opportunists in politics.
The Edo 21st September election is a contest between light and darkness, between homeboy and cowboys, between affection and disaffection, between performance and promise. On a lighter note, between the beauty and the hideousness. For the first time, let’s have a fine face to adorn our space. Last week, I had the privilege of being in a high-powered meeting with some stakeholders in the Edo political traction. It was robust, instructive and seminal; also, it was candid. These critical stakeholders simply asked my opinion on the major contenders for the plum job in Edo, and wanted me to convince them as to why Senator Okpebholo is the right choice. When I finished my explication, they scored me A1. And the issues I raised are very simple and as follows:
QUICK TEMPER
Asue Ighodalo is not an electable material who could operate at the top given his nuances and his visceral attributes. He’s standoffish and prone to quick anger. He doesn’t have eyes for details, little wonder Nigeria Breweries under him recorded a huge loss back to back to the tune of almost N110b in just 2023 alone. It is the reason that he didn’t consider Esanland viable for a branch of Sterling Bank to attract growth. He has been an adviser-in-chief to Governor obASUEki but the quality of his advice has been suspect, judging by manifestations of Obaseki’s governance. He advised Governor obASUEki to discontinue the Gelegele Port project, for he didn’t see it as a viable project, he advised Governor obASUEki to discontinue the Auchi Airport Project which Obaseki promised the people of Edo North, saying it was not viable; as Governor obASUEki’s adviser, he advised his boss to ignore the Ewohinmi Electricity Project, which has left the town in darkness for the past seven years. Asue Ighodalo hails from Ewohinmi, but he hasn’t made effort to fix the electricity as a way to care for his own kin. When the people of Esanland talked about the idea of setting up a Vigilante Security, he poohpoohed the idea, until now when he entered the gubernatorial race, forcing him to make his own paltry donation; just to ingratiate himself with the people. Like Obaseki, like Asue, they are both “Lagos boys” and so is the one representing the Labour Party, Olumide Akpata. They are all just opportunists who desire to get their snouts in the trough in Edo state: no stake, no commitment. Asue and Olu cannot be the right choice. They are both strangers in Edo, now over fifty years old, and cannot boast of anything tangible they have done for Edo people, but they want to govern the state. Asue will be a stranger, foisted on the people by his sponsor, for himself and his cronies. That is not democracy.
Just the other day, I saw the wife of a former Edo State Governor promoting Asue Ighodalo for the office of Governor. To my abashment for her, everything she said to promote him were things about his successes in his personal life and his business life in Lagos e.g. that he has educated his son; more embarrassing is the fact that the man she is promoting is a man who has worked in Edo State for the past eight years, in close proximity with the authorities and the governor; yet, she had nothing to say about how he has helped Edo people. All his supposed qualifying antecedents that she mentioned, ought to be adjuncts to his main selling points, which should be about how he has contributed to the development of Edo State; but nothing, absolutely nothing is on record which he has done in that regard. It appeared that she was hoping to mesmerize Edo people with her speech inflection: we have long gone past being impressed by good English speakers. Our daughters and grand-daughters according to reports, have over the years under Obaseki been forced to have curious associations and relations with good English speakers and foreigners almost as slaves, in Italy and other countries abroad, leaving their families disquiet and in consternation; simply because they couldn’t prosper in Edo State. Anyway the woman is senescent, so I will excuse her. She may need to see a doctor that is qualified to deal with whatever issues she may have; not a specious character like the man that she’s promoting.
OKPEBHOLO AS GIANT KILLER.
On the other hand, Senator Monday Okpebholo in 2023 sprouted to popularity and taught former Senator Clifford Ordia a bitter political lesson to the extent that his votes almost doubled those of Clifford Ordia, reason why Ordia did not go to the tribunal. What made Okpebholo so popular? Okpebholo has been there for his people across Esanland, over the years, even as a private citizen. Soft spoken, calm and easy going, Senator Monday Okpebholo does not live for praises and approbation; he genuinely cares for his people: he has built several boreholes for his people, he has many Esan sons and daughters under his scholarship scheme, he has fixed public schools that Asue and Obaseki (obASUEki) could not fix, he has constructed roads in communities where obASUEki abandoned, he has given palliatives to his constituents, and provided free bus transportation in Esanland with his 52-seaters Luxury Buses. He has restored electricity to communities that have been in darkness; the latest being Idumabokhae Village, where he donated 500KVA and N28m to restore their electricity, he has lifted up several artisans to stand on their own by providing them with take off support. As I write, he is carrying out a 3,000 poles project for street lighting across the five local governments of Edo Central. It is called “Operation Light Up Esanland Land.” The project has started and the first 500 poles will soon be commissioned.
Across the state, he has done quite a lot for people, quietly; believing that the Lord who sees his good heart, will reward him in secret. As Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Procurement, he has brought sanity to bear on the issue of accountability and probity. He is not like his counterpart, Asue, who was the one that advised Governor obASUEki to demolish the state library for the Shoprite; also, he advised Obaseki not to release the artefacts that were returned to the state, which also led to the demolition of the Central Hospital for the construction of their Museum of West African Arts. I am told that the Sobe Farms that they initially vaunted, has since been abandoned, and kidnappers now hibernate there. Ditto for the cassava plantations in Ekpoma, Opoji and Ohordua. They have abandoned the agricultural sector and roads infrastructure. Asue’s primary interest in Edo is pecuniary and has a high propensity for telling lies, to complement obASUEki’s voodoo economics immersed in MoUs.
Monday Okpebholo is highly emotionally intelligent, which has endeared him to his people. He’s humble and respectful to people. He’s not quick tempered or fractious like Asue Ighodalo. He loves to sit among his people in comfort. He is a people binder; unlike the divide and rule tacks of Asue and Obaseki in dealing with the people. They told us Edo no be Lagos, how come they are now trying to occupy Edo state in a cowboy manner? Despite huge resources accruing to the state, obASUEki has left the state supine and in dire straits. The debts hanging on citizen’s neck is around N570b, while the Governor has recently signed N450b supplementary budget, less than two months to his exit. They have both plunged the state into a cesspit of debts and discredit, with decayed infrastructure. This is why we need a man who is a doer and a homeboy, to rescue the state from economic predators. The right man for The office of Governor is Senator Monday Okpebholo. He will be a man of the Edo people, chosen by the Edo people, who will work for Edo people.
