Immediately after he was sworn-in by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Michael Edokpaiyi at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium Bnein City, in front of over 60,000 people from different parts of the country, Governor Oshiomohle spoke passionately about what he went through in the past nineteen months while he was pursing the reclamation of his mandate and what he intends to do for the people of the state.

In the two-hour speech, Oshiomhole sent a message to the people that it would no longer be business as usual in the state.

Gov. Oshiomhole delivering his maiden speech

His statement received spontaneous reaction from members of the public because Vanguard learnt that politicians in the last administration gave out some markets particularly ring road, to their supporters to enable them collect levies as compensation for the work they did for the party. As a result people are made to pay before they could hawk pure water or pepper any where in the city. Even children are not spared these levies.

But Governor Oshiomhole’s statement changed it all. Markets in the state are now free from all illegal collectors.  As a matter of fact, the police have started clamping down on those who remained adamant. He also warned that the new administration would not condone any form of corruption, adding that all those who would be appointed in the new administration must be committed to the policies of the new government.

On Thursday November 13, 2008 , Oshiomole arrived at the Denis Osadebey Avenue , GRA, in company of his deputy, Dr Pius Odubu, at about 8:22am . He wore a navy blue short-sleeve safari. The governor inspected the guard of honour mounted by officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force.

In order to get his administration kicking, he announced the dissolution of all political offices, including Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants and all political appointees of the immediate past administration of Professor Osunbor.

Consequently, he announced the appointment of Mr Pally Iriase, the former chairman of Owan East Local Government Council as the Secretary to the state Government (SSG). Mr Eric Osagie, former Editor of the Sun Newspaper (North) appointed as the Director of Strategy and Public Affairs while Mr Chris Nwachukwu was appointed as the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.

During the swearing in ceremony, the Governor explained that the appointment of Iriase was not based on the old tradition but on his professional qualification as an administrator, a banker and his contributions to the development of Owan East Local Government Council.

He immediately cautioned against what he described as professional praise singing and advertorials in the media, adding that public funds should not be used for congratulating him and the SSG.

After making these three key appointments, the Governor visited the Benin monarch in company of his deputy Dr Odubu, the state Chairman of the party, Prince Tony Omoaghe and the state leader of the party, Senator Rowland Owie. The delegation which was led by Senator Owie reiterated the resolve of the Action Congress to provide quality leadership to the people of the state and also revamp the decayed infrastructures in the state.

The Oba who congratulated him for his victory, however, in his usual manner, humorously handed the governor a white brocade, reminding him that as a governor, he should be dressing like his colleagues and no longer his usual Labour uniform.   

So far, the group of people who have benefited from Oshiomhole’s ascendancy are commercial motorcycle riders (okada) who now operate at night. It would be recalled that the okada riders were banned from operating at night during the tail end of the Lucky Igbinedion-led administration because of the high level of robbery operations in the state.

When Osunbor came in, the status quo remained, but the Okada riders were not happy with that. That was one of the reasons why Osunbor was hated by these set of people in the state. And when Oshiomhole joined the race for governorship, majority of the okada riders gave him all the support, hoping that if he wins he will allow them operate at night.

They flood the court premises each time he was at the tribunal.  They will jettison their duties on such days and go on road show with the comrade governor after each day’s proceedings. And their prayers were answered because the very day he was sworn-in as governor, okada riders commenced operations at night.

Addressing the mammoth crowd at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium, Governor Oshiomhole outlined his policies and vowed to end the politics of godfatherism in the state. His words: “I am aware that there are people who contributed seriously with high expectation to the emergence of a new leadership for our state, a new culture away from the past in which our people were been held hostage.

"You know the effort you made after the announcement was made, when our mandate was stolen and awarded to Professor Osunbor. You are aware that those who stole our mandate never had the courage to have a celebration like this. But then I assure you that the struggle will continue until your mandate is restored.

I am very proud to say that and together with you and millions of our well wishers across the political divide and various social vices, we have waged a sustained battle and today we can say with pride that we have fulfilled the first promise. Nineteen months later, justice has been done by this epoch and landmark judgment which made today possible.

By the grace of the Almighty God, the will of you the people have prevailed. I was encouraged through out the struggle by the out pour of love, good will, support , not only across our state but across our country. Your will and determination to defend your mandate that really gave me the strength.

“But let me say that this victory is not really my victory, I was only a symbol of your collective determination that you and you alone, no god fathers will determine who governs this state. This victory is to be credited to the coalition of the Action Congress (AC) and the Labour Party.

How many are we in number, the unemployed, the workers, the youths, we were united that ones we get who is ready to lead, you are ready to follow and today together we have chased away the forces of darkness.

Now for the first time, since 1979, you can go to any part of Nigeria and beat your chest and say we in Edo state, we chose our governor, we chose Adams Aliu Oshiomhole. We need God’s people not god fathers. And today I can say proudly that it is only to you that I can be held accountable not any god father. If you listen very attentively, to the vote of office I have just been sworn in to, I will abide to the constitution of the federal Republic and please hold me to that oath of office.

“We will commence work without delay, even before you get home I will be in the office because we have lost a lot of time. We have to install leadership and a people’s government that will guarantee to every citizen in our state irrespective of whether you are a citizen or not.

There will be no discrimination. We must realize that today is only the beginning but not the end. It is only the beginning of a movement in which we are now here to face the monumental challenges ahead of us. We will galvanize our energies and intellect to meet up with these challenges. And to meet up with these challenges we will meet up to our educational system.

The child of the poor like me must be given the opportunity for education. We guarantee free education were the child of the poor will be able to go to. Where a teacher will be happy to teach under a conducive environment.

And I am sure that you know that even here in the city we have a very bad situation as regards to the state of our primary schools. I have seen with my eyes korokoro, how children in primary one to primary four in one classroom. If the previous governments in our time in the 60s were callous, this boy Oshiomhole will not be here today.

I benefited not only from free education and qualitative education, at a time when the nation is not an exporter of crude oil, nothing can justify the dehumization of the children of the poor. We must restore the educational system, so that the poor children can rise to become the President of the nation.

 It is our commitment to make poverty a history by creating free and quality education, that is the only way we can guarantee growth for the poor. And again, in a digital war the only thing that can guarantee that Nigeria has grown on a sustainable basis can not simply be based on the amount of crude oil we export

As you can see because of lack of human capital the oil sector is in the hands of the foreigners. To secure the safety of our state, we must sort out the human capital both at the primary, secondary and the tertiary level.

So I assure my Comrades at the Ambrose Alli university and the staff, that now they have a comrade in government, we will revisit the issues and ensure that the university grow beyond the presence of the sign board.

Comrades, there are people who have graduated for over five years, they have no job, we will manage your resources prudently, but I want to promise you now, it is commitment of which you can hold me, I believe that if we pull out from the unemployment market 10,000 young men and women, our cell phones will be safe in our pockets.

Our state is located in rich soil capable of sustaining an agrarian evolution, we should be able together as a people ensure that not only do we feed our selves, we should be able to feed the rest of the country. Again your own peoples government will revive the sports sector.

Therefore, to deal with the security challenges, our first action with due respect to the police authorities, is not to buy the police more guns and more ammunitions. I think what we must do is to redeploy resources to keep young people busy.

I believe if you keep them busy in the afternoon they will look forward to sleeping at night. In this state we will stop further criminalisation of our youths by making them meaningfully engaged. Yesterday, when I was coming back from the court, some young men were shouting in my ears, Oga no more ticket, no more ticket. And I said what ticket?

I was told that it is that even the poorest amongst us who are involved in hawking pure water, they are made to pay taxes to some god fathers. Even the ordinary woman who sells  tomatoes, she is told to pay taxes or she will be dealt with. But today as governor of this state, I put them on notice that they must relocate. Every collection which is not bound by law, no body in this state will collect your money and put in his pocket.

“Let us put the past behind and legislate for the good governance with the greatest majority. I want to assure that you will be proud of the making of the peoples governor in Edo State. I want to thank all of you, Nigerians have shown me so much love. I place on record my gratitude to Comrade President Yar’Adua for creating a new political environment where rule of law prevails.

Let me reveal to you that there were many of our people who were very worried across the country, that we should do the swearing in ceremony yesterday (Tuesday), with the fear that between yesterday and today, somebody would want to do some thing funny but that is because they did not remember that the man who is the Commander in Chief today, is a full democrat he is not a refurbished democrat.

And we are here today we salute President Yar’Adua. And we commit ourselves in support of his seven point agenda with particular reference to the reform agenda of the electoral process. Nigeria cannot withstand any future electoral rigging.

We cannot celebrate Obama in a country which we still hold on to primitive tactics, the challenge of Obama is some thing that every black man should imbibe. There is no reason why we cannot compete in any field of human endeavor. In Edo state we will show the way and we ask you to be part of it.

So I want to salute our royal fathers across the state under the leadership of the Oba of Benin, I promise you that as fathers we will consult with you and we will look after your welfare which is not in conflict with the general welfare of the larger society. Every one has a role to play”.

For now, it will be safe to say that the goodwill Oshiomhole enjoys and his popularity would guarantee a better tomorrow for the people of Edo State.

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