WHAT do we see now? As many would readily attest to, tertiary institutions across the state, especially the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, have been suffering series of reverses since Osunbor left Edo state’s Government House.
As a matter of fact, education has been relegated to the background.

Rather than tackle the fundamental problems of Edo people, Oshiomhole prefers to play to the gallery by digging trenches all over the place, and pouring tar on a few of the motorable roads around public centres in the Benin metropolis.

Of course, the bursary awards re-introduced by Osunbor was cut off by Oshiomhole soon after he was, by judicial pronouncement, awarded the governorship of Edo state. In its place, he mindlessly increased the school fees of the Ambrose Alli University students by over 300 per cent. When the students protested the increase, Oshiomhole responded by shutting down the institution indefinitely.

All entreaties by elders and other concerned citizens of Edo state to rescind his off-handed decision to shut down the institution fell on Oshiomhole’s deaf ears. The institution has remained under lock and keys since over three months now, with attendant adverse effects on social and economic activities on the university town. While all these were going on, the leaders of his ACN government did nothing. Bright Omokhodion is, by the election result, the outgoing Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly.

His country home stands in proximity to the now abandoned Ambrose Alli University, yet he saw nothing wrong in the diabolical education policy of his Comrade Governor. Instead, and rather shamelessly, he was said to have rebuffed attempts by the elders of the Ujemen community to resolve the crisis, and would not relent his resolve to run down everyone who means well for the people.

Bright Omokhodion was elected into the Edo state’s House of Assembly under the platform of the PDP. He was not contented with that. His fancy was to be the Speaker of the House; and was prepared to do anything, no matter how banal, to achieve his hyper ambition.

That was why he left the PDP.  The people of Esan west local government area know that it was mainly this inordinate ambition of Bright Omokhodion that also drove him to enlist in the camp of the cabal that plotted against Osunbor, who comes from the same local government area as he.

All said, against the background of the lingering crisis at the Ambrose University, Ekpoma, the remarkable achievements of Osunbor in the education sector, in his under 18 months as Governor of Edo state, became much more pronounced when compared to the shabby handling of the lingering crisis in the institution by Oshiomhole’s ACN government.

This certainly influenced the decision of the people of Esan west local government council area as well as other part’s of Edo central Senatorial District to continue to stand firm by the PDP in the election into the Edo state’s House of Assembly.

In other words, the political re-engineering process initiated by Osunbor since May, 2007 designed to implant the developmental strides of the PDP in the hearts and minds of Edo people, is already yielding the desired result, as the outcome of the 2011 general elections in some areas of the state show clearly.

There are lessons to be learnt. From the way things have gone, Bright Omokhodion and others who might be tempted to carry on like him, now know that political treachery has its prize. For the PDP, the 2011 general election should open up the eyes of its leaders to the need for unity; and I think that the recognition of the contributions of all to the growth of the party in Edo state, is crucial in the efforts to mend the cracks that continue to exist between its frontline leader

Mr. ODARO POMWANNGHE, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Benin, Edo State.