ON the political turf, Edo people behave like Lagos football fans during a soccer game. In the same way in which Lagos soccer fans have expectations of the quality of football from their favoured side, Edo people, used as they are to good governance as offered by Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia (1967-1975) and Ambrose Alli (1979-1983), have standards by which they measure governmental performance.

When a government delivers, Edo people will praise it to high heavens, the way Lagos soccer fans would applaud football artistry that results in goals. That is how the Haruna Ilerikas, Sunday Oyarekhuas, Yakubu Mabos, Wakilu Oyenugas, Ogbuezes, Martins Eyos, Henry Nwosus, Stephen Keshis, etc, became legends.

The flip side of their common response is the venomous chorus of criticism that they heap on the errant duty bearer. Very quickly the bandwagon by which they ushered in the government (in the case of Edo people) or the misfiring soccer team (Lagos soccer fans) becomes a “bad-wagon” of abuses.

Adams Oshomhole, the self-acclaimed Comrade Governor of Edo State, had a perfect start to his tenure. First, he had a classic foil in Lucky Igbinedion, who plundered Edo State for all of eight years and forgot that he owed his people anything by way of tangible development projects. His abysmal failure has earned every effort by Oshomhole to provide even the most basic amenity a roaring and reverberating applause.

While this is natural, and the man deserves the kudos for the little visible projects that he has delivered, there is the issue of the cost. There are two dimensions to the issue of cost. At the more obvious connotation of the word, there are indications that the people of Edo State have had to pay more than prevailing market rates for the items of development that Oshiomhole has delivered.

They point at the cost of dualizing Airport Road, in Benin City, the State Capital. Spanning a mere eight kilometres, the effort is said to have cost N6 billion, which works out at N750 million per kilometre. Now, who really got the contract for this project? Initially, it was Servetec Nigeria Limited who first got the contract for N4.8 billion.

But consequent upon the revocation of the contract, it was re-awarded to Setraco Nigeria Limited for N6 billion. What was the relationship between Oshiomhole on one hand and Servetech and its promoters on the other hand? How and why did the relationship go awry such that the contract to Servetec Nigeria Limited was revoked?

How many schools have been renovated? How much did the renovation of Idia College or Maria Goretti Girls Grammar School cost?

The other dimension of cost is the way in which Oshiomhole has used his popularity to impose a one-man rule on the people. It is clear that Oshiomhole is a one-man army of occupation. The Deputy Governor is, for all practical purposes, a glorified onlooker. For the Deputy Governor, this may appear politically correct for the sake of survival. This is what Oshiomhole likes: a docile deputy who cannot outshine or upset him. He would want to stick with him in next year’s election for that reason of his deputy’s foibles. But will the other influential group within the Action Congress of Nigeria in the state angling for the position concede the slot? This is a costly political decision on Oshiomhole’s hands. By the way, this is just a positive digression.

Back to the issue of cost vis-à-vis performance: “Lucky Igbinedion was there for eight years – what did he do?” was the standard refrain from those addicted to the Oshiomhole style. It was as if doing what Lucky Igbinedion could not do was the license for inflation of contract sums! Now people have started to ask questions, amid motley allegations.

Suddenly, after much promise, Edo people are beginning to see the other side of Oshiomhole, the self-styled Comrade Governor. Sooner than later, Oshiomhole will see the other side of Edo people, a la Lagos soccer fans and their favourite team that fails to deliver. The more discerning the people of Edo State are insisting that transparency and accountability are the foundations of democracy, and that dualizing city roads or renovating school buildings must stand the tests of transparency and accountability. They are asking: Do the projects so far embarked upon by Oshiomhole pass these tests?

The Comrade Governor should go read the history of Edo people and their errant leaders. The following Bini adage echoes their sentiments: “The dog says it bites people with the same teeth that he laughs with them”. Now, how many people that Edo people have laughed with and eventually bitten ever recovered from the ordeal? Oshiomhole should find out from his sponsors and new-found cheerleaders!

These are the issues that will determine the 2012 governorship election in Edo State. Yes, you dualized a road here and reconstructed a classroom there. That’s what anybody can do. Sorry there was someone before you who didn’t. But at what cost did you do the needful? And Edo people are no fools.

Mr. OTANIYEN AIMUFUA, a social activist, wrote from Benin City, Edo State.