Dr. Osifo Picks APGA Guber Ticket, says Politics is Public Service, Not Money Making Business

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By Correspondent

The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, yesterday in Benin City held its primary to elect the party’s governorship candidate in the September 21, 2024 election in Edo State.

The contest was won by a farmer and university teacher, Dr. Isaiah Osifo, former Chief of Staff to Prof Oserheimen Osunbor, when he served as governor of Edo State. The APGA candidate is a grassroots politician from Imalele Osifo quarters in Uvbenisi, Uhunmwode Local Government Area, Edo State.

Dr. Osifo addressing APGA delegates yesterday

Speaking after the well organised primary that was witnessed by Imthe Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Dr. Osifo emphasised that politics is for service and not profit making business.

“Any aspirant to political office at any level,should have the knowledge of the people and community he/she aspires to serve.

“The evidence of previous relationship with the people, knowledge of the communities and contribution to the development of the people and the community prior to the aspiration to be elected into Political office, will define whether the candidate is in politics for the sake of making money, or to serve.

“I believe that the good people of Edo State are knowledgeable enough to know those who are in politics because of business to make profit and those that are in politics to serve.

“Those who are politics to make profit have dominated the political environment of Nigeria. As good citizens, we should not give up in our struggle to identify those who are in politics to cheat their fellow citizens and defeat them in their dishonest desire to acquire political power for their personal interest.” The university teacher said.

Dr. Isaiah Osifo had been consistent in upholding the principle that politics is not for profit making, but it is service to the welfare of the citizens.

As a one-time secretary general of the students union at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, he joined his other comrades across the country, including the present Senate Majority Leader, Senator Bamidele Opeyemi, who was then the NANS president in the 1989, Anti SAP protest.

He was expelled from the University, along with his other comrades in the struggle of peace and justice, he was able to return to the University after a long legal battle, represented by Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, of blessed memory ,(pro bono)up to the court of Appeal.

As a Student Union leader, he was not on salary and it was at a time when the payment of Union Dues was proscribed in Nigeria. Isaiah Osifo and his fellow comrades contributed from their pocket allowance given to them by their parents to organize the Students Union and continue to fight for the welfare of Nigerian Students and return to democracy in Nigeria.

Dr. Isaiah Osifo was the Secretary General of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, chapter of Youths Solidarity For South Africa/Nigeria, (YUSAN). YUSAN was committed to the freedom in South Africa and the end of apartheid regime in South Africa.

In all these struggles for Students welfare, democracy in Nigeria, freedom for the citizens and humanity across the world, the aim according to Dr. Osifo, was not “for financial benefits, but for the welfare and well-being of Nigerians and others outside Nigeria.It is on this background that Isaiah Osifo principle of politics is for service, but not for profit making is anchored.”

Isaiah Osifo was born in Uvbenisi in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State and started his primary Education in Uvbenisi primary school, and completed his primary Education at St. Peter Primary School, Benin City in 1977.

He started his secondary education at Elaiho Grammar, Eguaeholor-Isi, and completed his Secondary Education at Western Boys High School in Benin in 1982.

He started work as a young man in the Federal Public Service, (P and T), later NITEL in 1982. He took study leave from NITEL to study at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and graduated with a Bachelor degree in Philosophy and Political Science in 1991.

After his National Youth Service Corp, NYSC in Imo State, he thought briefly at the Institute of Continue Education, (ICE) Benin City.

Isaiah Osifo was elected as the secretary of the defunct Social Democratic Party, SDP, Uhunmwode Local Government Area chapter in 1993. He later proceeded for a Postgraduate Studies at the University of Benin, and obtained a Master of Science Degree in Public Administration in 1995.

Osifo has been active in the politics of Edo State, serving in the process as secretary of political associations, such as People’s Democratic Movement, PDM and was subsequently elected as the Chairman of Uhunmwode Local Government on the platform of UNCP in 1997.

He was re-elected the second time as Chairman of Uhunmwode Local Government in 1999 on the platform of PDP and became the pioneer Chairman of Edo State Chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON from 1999 to 2002.

In 2006, he was appointed as the DG of Senator Oserheimen Osunbor Campaign Organization for Edo State Governorship Election and when Prof Osunbor was elected as the governor of Edo State, Osifo was appointed as the Chief of Staff in 2007.

After the annulment of Oserheimen Osunbor’s election, by the Court of Appeal, he proceeded for a Postgraduate Studies at the University of Hull, in United Kingdom, where he received a Postgraduate Certificate in Research Training in the Department of Politics and International Studies, as well as a PhD in International Relations.

Presently, he is a teacher in the department of Political Science and Public Administration in Igbinedion University, Okada, Nigeria and in the department of International Relations and Diplomatic Studies, Ave Maria University, Abuja.

The highly principled public servant says “Edo 2024 will be a contest between those that have rushed into politics as business to make profit and those that have background of service to the people.

“With your determination, the candidate that is in politics to serve will be victorious. If they come to lie, to say that they are in politics to serve, ask for their previous records of community service.

“You cannot claim to be in politics to serve when you are aspiring to be elected as governor of Edo State where you don’t have a stake.”

Dr. Osifo will be campaiging with the verifiable background, especially with his strong belief that politics is for public service.

“If elected as the governor of Edo State, I will uphold my principle of service to the community as the only true definition of politics.” Dr. Isaiah Osifo has pledged.