Asue Ighodalo’s Governorship Ambition is Dead On Arrival.
Asue Ighodalo
By Kingston Fashe
I have written so many articles on how Governor Obaseki is unfit to govern Edo State. In his first coming I wrote, I did the same thing in his bid for the second tenure.
Somehow he was rigged-in for the first tenor while for the second term election, he rigged himself in.
I adduced so many reasons for my objections against his candidacy.
Those reasons have manifested into reality over the years which has culminated to displease and anger Edolites across the state: He is wicked with governance, using his enormous power as governor to wreck destruction on perceived enemies.
He speaks grammar to tell lies about everything, from the promised business hobs for small scale businesses, to gélégélé sea port, to generation of electric power, to the yearly Benin Business Forum which he always put together with his godson Asue Ighodalo as the Arrowhead.
Roads are not tarred, drainages are not done, hospitals not equipped, schools are left in shambles – no infrastructural development for eight years.
He refused to inaugurate the elected APC members of the state assembly, denying them of their livelihood and denying their constituency of representation at the state house of assembly. His ills are too numerous to number.
As if all these are not bad enough, he crossed the line by confrontations against political associates and perceived opponents from across the three senatorial districts, the eighteen Local Government Areas and all the 192 wards therein who dared to give advice against his appetite for destruction.
Hence in this political dispensation we see leaders in PDP like Honourable Charles Idahosa a PDP BoT member, senator Matthew Urhogide, Honourable Ogbeide Ijamba in Edo south.
From Edo Central and North senator Francis Alihmekina, Rt. hon. Omon Ezomon and many others grass root leaders, all defecting to APC.
An aberration. An aberration because the movement should be the other way round, from APC to PDP, PDP being the ruling party in the state.
If his PDP party members can’t stand his atrocious autocratic dictatorial tendencies, one is left to imagine the disdain and contempt of the common man and woman on the streets of Edo State towards him.
His animalistic tendency to confront any one on his way did not stop with the political class.
He veered into our traditional institution. As a Benin man, he should revere the Oba and hold him in very high esteem.
Not Obaseki. He is so power drunk he confronted the paramount traditional ruler in Edo State.
He challenged the Oba on so many fronts including the matter of the custody of the returned Benin artifacts. Beyond that he actually instigated lesser Enigies (Dukes) to challenge the powers of the Oba.
They did by suing the the Oba to court. Remembering what happened to one time Military Governor of Edo State Onyeregbulem an Ibo man who messed with the Oba as governor because he knew nothing about the powers the Oba possess, I say may the gods not descend on Obaseki, they should please forgive him.
The points which I have always made before Obaseki sat on the saddle to govern Edo State, that he is a misfit has manifested.
Even worse than my predictions. I also mentioned that unlike Oshiomole whose two tenures exposed Edo State to tremendous development and was qualified as a result of his performance to introduce Obaseki (an error which he regrets), Obaseki does not possess the prerequisites leadership qualities to introduce anybody.
He has failed, his candidate is bound to fail. This is more evident because his candidate is coming from Lagos just like him, he knows nothing about Edo State just like him, he cannot speak the language just like him.
Need I say more?
On the contrary, the APC candidate, Monday Okpebholo is a home boy.
He knows his people and his people know him. He can relate with them in the local language.
He knows their needs because his father and mother, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins, uncles and aunts all leave here.
This man will not throw a single stone into the market place because the stone might hit one of his own.
Unlike Asue Ighodalo who has no relations here he will throw stones into the market. He will be ruthless like Obaseki.
At the polls of September 21, 2024 which comes up in two day time, I ask that Edolites take the points enumerated above into consideration and lets cast our votes for Monday Okpebholo, the APC candidate, he is our suerest bet for good governance.
Kingston Fashe writes from Lagos.
