BY JOHN IGHODARO
Once upon a time when Yenagoa was a street, a man produced the Bayelsa Masterplan which laid the foundation for the immediate and long-term socio-economic development of the state. It was that Masterplan that Alamieseigha, Goodluck  Jonathan and now Sylva Timpreye came to build on and Yenagoa, which was a street has become a modern city.

The man behind that masterplan was Sir Paul Edor Obi (KSG) who was the military administrator of Bayelsa at the time. The man whose administration’s masterplan transformed a street into a city has surfaced in his home place, Boki, in Cross River State and has vowed to replicate the miracle of Yenagoa in the Cross River State Central Senatorial Zone as a senator come 2011.

This   pilot who retired as a Colonel in the Nigerian Army has flown into Boki in search of a place to develop once again.

Sir Paul Edor Obi’s

While flagging off his senatorial bid at the Boki Comprehensive Secondary School, Okundi, Cross River State on Saturday the 5th of June, 2010, the grounds of the secondary school was crawling with hundreds of supporters who had come in Suvs, cars, motorbikes and some had even come on foot.

As Dolly Paton’s “coat of many colours” blared from the huge electronic speakers, people were trickling into the venue of the event that spanned hours. Finally as supporters settled down, the aspirant mounted the rostrum and addressed the gathering which  turned up in colourful attires.

In endorsing him, the Minister of External Affairs in the First Republic, Senator MT  Mbu said, “the electorate who want what is good for Nigeria should hope and pray that the next National Assembly will comprise of men and women of impeccable character and experience. By that criteria, Sir Paul Obi is eminently qualified to be there.”

Sir Paul Obi who schooled in the US said, “the election of US President, Barrack Obama, is a testimony that good things are possible and that the individual and collective will of the people must be given precedence for the peace, prosperity and progress of any nation.”

He noted “as our own country takes this giant step towards conducting credible election through the present process of electoral reforms, it becomes very necessary that we put forward only our very best to serve.”

Acknowledging those who had gone before him to the Senate from his senatorial zone, he said, “to the glory of God, we are blessed with abundant human and natural resources; we have so many credible, tried and tested people who have the capacity to serve with excellence and distinction. Therefore, the issue of having alternative options is not a problem.

We acknowledge with sincere gratitude and heartfelt appreciation, those who have gone before us to serve our people. Worthy of mention is His Excellency, Senator Liyel Imoke, the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Matthew Mbu (Jnr.) and currently, Senator Victor Ndoma Egba. They have been trailblazers and I commend them for their service to our people. I hope to build on these achievements and move this to the next level.”

He argued that “like a relay race, it is obviously time for the baton to be handed over to enable yet another illustrious servant of our people to join the race for the continued betterment of our people. The time, therefore to make this change is here and now and we must grab the baton and run with it.”

Sir Paul Obi who was a military administrator of Bayelsa state, said, “my track record of past service is a testimony to what I can do if given an opportunity. I recall how I used the proceeds of the civic reception by the Boki People while Administrator of Bayelsa State in 1999 to complete the Dibokun bridge which is a major economic link between my immediate community in Irruan and the people of Obudu LGA.”

This, he argued, was achieved “ through a Development Appeal Fund Committee. I also assisted in the area of providing water boreholes in the community by helping with counterpart funding from the United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF)”.

The aspirant, who further argued that he had been vigorously involved with the development of his people, said “another area worthy of mention is the setting up of the Okpete Education Trust Fund for assisting students from poor backgrounds currently in the university and tertiary institutions. So far, a total of 150 students have benefited from the scheme.

I have also assisted in the grading of the road from Nduk Junction through Mbube to all the Irruan communities from my own personal resources.”

On what he hopes to do when elected, he said, “my plan is to expand the catchment areas to cover all the six local government areas in the Senatorial district. All of these are in addition to the numerous support initiatives and programmes I have been rendering to needy persons in our community and beyond.”

He acknowledged that this was no picnic, saying, “in offering to serve our people in a senatorial capacity, I am not unmindful of the inherent hardships and pitfalls.

I am fully aware of the political challenges posed by this historic journey we have embarked upon today. However, I am fully aware and entirely grateful for the widespread display of support from all over the world, throughout our great country, Nigeria, and especially from my people in the Central Senatorial Zone of Cross River State.”
Unlike many Nigerian politicians, he has only kind words for the senator currently representing the senatorial zone in the senate.

According to him the current senator has done tremendously well and has offered his best in the eight years that he has been there and that there is the need for a change to inject new blood and build on what the current senator has done.

His words: “It is a time for change. If you recall, in the US, George Bush was in the Republican party and he was there for eight years, then Obama came around to inject new blood in the administration of the US. In the UK, the conservatives had to go for the Labour party to come in. It tells you that no matter how good you are, people always clamour for change. No matter how good you have performed, it can always be better, it can always be built on.”

As a youth, the peers of this former military administrator glimpsed his future, hence they nicknamed him ‘Egbe’, which translated, means ‘leader’.