Edo 2024: Philip Shaibu's comments affirmation of APC assertion on Obaseki's poor performance - Peter Uwadiae

...Says Party provides the much desired alternative ! 

Kingsley Abavo (Managing Editor),

Henrietta Abavo, Benin

 Peter Enosoregbe Uwadiae Igbinigie Esq.

A couple of days ago, the deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu in an interview with journalists in Abuja, said: "With the 2024 Edo governorship election fast approaching, the State can not afford to experiment again with someone who does not understand the politics of the State or the needs of the people.

“Edo people need practical governance and you cannot experiment again with somebody that do not understand the politics of a good State and the needs of the people.

“You cannot know the need of the people when you don’t live with them. So for me, competence and experience should be the watchword as we go into election in 2024.

“Who is competent? Who is more experienced? Who will hit the ground running from day one?

“Are we going to experiment with a new person again? And the person will spend the first four years learning on the job and he will spend another four years trying to embezzle, set up his businesses in the name of consolidating on the gains of the first term?"

In response consequently, the leading opposition Party; All Progressives Congress (APC) through its Publicity Secretary, Peter Enosoregbe Uwadiae Igbinigie Esq. told journalists on Thursday in Benin that the deputy Governor's comments were only affirmation of the position of the Party about the poor performance of the Obaseki's led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration in Edo in the these past years.

Here we bring you the full response, and comments on other issues!

We; the APC have been vindicated by the comments of the deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu particularly as it relates to the capacity of the Governor, himself. 

From the horses mouth; the deputy Governor has said Edo State cannot afford to experiment again for another eight years.

The import of that statement is that Edo State has been experimenting in the past seven and half years and if someone or any Government is experimenting, it therefore means the best cannot come from an experimentation!

It means that the Governor is still learning or there are lot of things he is learning to do or he ought to do and he did not do.

And governance should not be a learning ground and the APC have consistently maintained that the Governor has fallen short of the capacity which is required to manage a State as complex as Edo.

Looking back, what has the Governor been able to bring to the table? All we have seen in the past seven years; is nothing but obvious distortion of the smooth sail of governance from that glorious era of Senator Adams Oshiomhole, to what Edo people desired but which he couldn't provide.

When Oshiomhole was Governor in Edo, there were whole lot of things he did; in terms of massive infrastructural development, human capital development, social welfare amongst many others.

He gave Edo State a face lift and made us understand the true meaning of dividends of democracy thus laying the foundation of good governance.

Unfortunately after his departure, all these beautiful legacies were pulled down instead of them being improved upon by the Governor.

The Edo library, and Central hospital were demolished, Edo liaison offices in Port Harcourt, Lagos and Abuja were sold out.

Now, private sector driven projects are taking over; all serving as conduit pipe to drain the collective scarce resources of the people.

Can the Governor tell us the State's equity shares in these investments? We don't have!

Now, what has happened to the red roof revolution of the Adams Oshiomhole's era in the education sector? 

I watched on television few weeks ago where school children were still lying on the ground to write, no furniture; a true reflection of the state of affairs in our schools against Obaseki's propaganda of Edobest.

The APC is glad that Edo people have begun to hear the true report of the performance of the Obaseki's administration from the man who is number two in ranking.

If the next in command can speak in that manner, it shows that Edo State has lost it!

If my deputy say I am experimenting, it shows that he even knows it more than myself.

Now, how has Governor Obaseki impacted on the market women? When he came on board, he promised to eliminate all forms of ticketing and touts but today the situation is worst.

The funny thing is that suppose the money collected is being used for the development of the State, it would have been a different thing.

But these monie are collected and goes into private pockets.

You drain these people, you double tax them, and the resources is not used to better their lives.

Well, we have gotten to that level wherein Edo people have to take the APC seriously.

It is absurd that a Government will be experimenting with the lives of its people and in the PDP today, the news is rife that the Governor also wants to bring a successor who will continue with the experimentation. That is why we hear the deputy Governor shouting and saying that experimentation should not be allowed again.

In any event, APC has become the beautiful bride in Edo; the Party to beat!

We have demonstrated it and we want to sustain that momentum. At the senatorial level first time in the history of politics in Edo, PDP could not even get a senator to represent them at the national Assembly.

Also, at the House of Representatives, out of the total nine available slots; the APC has six, Labour Party has two and PDP only one.

Be that as it may; it is a reflection of the acceptability of the APC in Edo State and beyond that in the State House of Assembly election, the APC has nine out of the 24 seats.

It is a good showing for a political Party that is in the opposition. 

And what is again most worrisome, the PDP State secretary has often times condemned the attitude, and  methodology of governance of the Obaseki's administration.

He said the Governor has not done well, and he wants to also impose a candidate on them; an attempt the Party would resist!

Also, Leaders of the PDP are crying that this is the first time since 1999 they have gotten the worst Governor in Obaseki.

Hence they would not want a repeat of this anymore.

The discerning conclusion from that scenario is that if the Governor is allowed to perpetrate his experimentation on Edo people by bringing in someone to take over governance from him, we are going to be in another eight years of doldrum, we are going to be in imprisonment.

So, we have an alternative that will positively change the negative narrative in Edo and that is the APC because experimentation should stop in the State!

Going into 2024, Edo people expect a better approach to governance and Government.

In that respect, the APC will present its best to drive its programs and we can assure that our Party will conduct its primary in the most transparent manner, that will usher in a candidate who will be generally accepted, a man who will represent the common interest of Edo people.

And come the Governorship election, we will be able to ask for the mandate of the electorates to enable us revive the legacy of good governance Oshiomhole bequeathed to us, sustain and even improve on it!

Zoning

As at today, the APC has not resolved if there is going to be zoning or not because the national leadership of our Party has not released the guidelines.

But permit me to quickly say this; the APC believes in equity, fairness, justice, capacity, competence and believes that at this time what Edo people need; is a man who is encapsulated in all of these virtues including robust knowledge of Edo State, as an entity; and ready to drive these positivism within the people.

I can assure that the APC will give its best to the service of Edo people and in doing this, all of these criteria I earlier mentioned will come to play.

We are a Party that believe in internal democracy, and we will give everyone the leverage to contest because it is a constitutional inalienable right so long the criteria as spelt out, are met.

Our primary is scheduled between the Ist and 24th of the month of February. Within this time, the APC will conduct a primary that represents the genuine wish of the people and when we are going into the election, it will be an easy ride because it will be somebody who is known to Edo people.

Not someone who is mobilised from Lagos but a home grown who knows the 192 Wards of the State.

Oshiomhole's blame for Obaseki's poor performance

The infallibility of a man, you can't rule out; nobody is perfect and like I would always say, the level of deception demonstrated by Obaseki to our national Leader when he was seeking to be Governor is one that could have beaten any man including Oshiomhole himself.

To a very great extent, he did a very big misrepresentation of who he really is to Oshiomhole.

But that is expected of anyone who is mischievous! Obaseki positioned a picture that he was a man that can be trusted.

And you never can tell of a man until you give him power and Oshiomhole worked on the knowledge he had of him that Obaseki was the man.

But the moment he got power, the true colour of who he is came out and you cannot blame Oshiomhole for that.

Yes, it may be a mistake and that is why today we want to correct it.

And our national Leader has also said; the mistake I made which everyone is saying I brought Obaseki, I would not repeat such again so we will give a level playing field to everyone who wants to contest in our primary; and whoever emerge, will not been seen as imposed any more because there is this general belief that Oshiomhole imposed the present Governor on Edo people.

And for this; he has repeatedly apologized that he never knew that this is the true colour of the man; a mistake anybody could have made in the circumstances he was then, including myself talking and I think it is permissible!