Last week, a few politicians converged on the APC campaign office in Benin City to declare their unalloyed support for the APC party chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. At the same gathering, the politicians, led by their spokesperson, Samson Osagie and Henry Idahagbon expressed their extreme dissatisfaction at the leadership style of the Governor, Godwin Obaseki.
The “leaders” complained bitterly about the lack of “democracy within the party by the Governor and claimed to be out to correct the “anomaly” being experienced in the party.
I was curious as to the nature of this anomaly and decided to embark on a facts finding mission to learn from my fellow Edolites, what the real issues were. My first recourse was to Barrister Samson Osagie, a very good friend of mine who spent more than 10 years in public service, first as a member of the State House of Assembly, then as a member of the House of Representatives.
My conversation with him was short but insightful. His main grouse was the lack of communication and access to the Governor. I enquired as to the paths he chose to request audience with the governor, and his response betrayed the crux of the problem.
According to him, the APC called a meeting and asked the Governor to appear and the Governor neglected to appear. Furthermore, he expressed severe regret that the party men and women that had delivered the governor against the will of Edo people had been suffering since the advent of the Obaseki administration.
My second recourse was to the leader of my party in my local government (who shall remain unnamed). My conversations with him were even more interesting. From what I could surmise, the gathering was assembled to protest the lack of patronage extended by the governor to the men who “put him in office”.
This major theme of their complaints struck a chord with me; throughout my inquisition, no one mentioned any issues with performance. There were no complaints about corrupt enrichment or dereliction of duty. The sole and only issue seemed to be that the governor was deliberately refusing to “oil the party machinery”, a tragic euphemism for declining to funnel tax payers money into the pockets of a negligible minority. What a grave tragedy indeed!
At what point did political parties in Nigeria become more important than the people? How did Nigerians allow the needs of politicians to supplant their own needs? The answers to these questions are not farfetched; Nigerians have long ceased to care about the quality of leadership and services delivered to them. Invariably, these leaders have taken undue advantage.
An avid follower of current affairs, I have learned of the progress Edo state has made in improving the security situation in the state. One often forgets that there was a time when Cultists, kidnappers and domestic terrorists notified residents of the state about impending wars, and nothing would be done about them. There is definitely still some way to go, but the fact that the impunity has been assuaged somewhat.
Also, any visitor to the state would agree that the previously chaotic environment with poor roads, filth and touts littering the streets have been largely addressed. Roads are even being rebuilt in places we forgot they were bad!
Closest to my heart is the fact that two of my eight siblings who previously relied on me for handouts because the government failed to pay their salaries, are now joining me in supporting the remaining sibling still in University. Even when they try to dodge this responsibility, I gently remind them that Obaseki’s government does not owe workers and despite the drastic reduction of resources available, has never owed salaries since it assumed office in 2016.
Then there’s the pensioners who have been steadily receiving their dues without rancour or much hardship. These people have served our nation to the best of their abilities and are being paid their pensions as and when due. Shouldn’t this be roundly applauded?
In essence, in many areas, progress has been made. This is a great credit to the governor and should ordinarily be a source of incredible pride to the former governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. Should he not be taking credit for nurturing such a leader that can deliver for the masses whom he claims are his greatest constituency?
One would also expect that the politicians would be pleased and where concerns exist, they will help in highlighting areas for improvement and make tangible suggestions to the government for the benefit of the masses and in the interest of their party.
But no. The overriding interest of a few men is in the continued pilferage of the commonwealth of the people.
At some point in our democratic life, this impunity must end. And it is my fervent hope and prayer that the people of Edo state lead the charge in holding their government accountable, while reinforcing their collective strength during the ballots for the kind of leadership they deserve. Only time will tell.
Akhere, a public commentator, wrote from Benin
(The Nation News Nigeria)
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