WHEN our judicial process brought Adams Aliu Oshiomhole to power in Edo State in 2008, there was much celebration. There was jubilation across the length and breadth of the state. Public service workers, in particular, were full of expectation.

These hopes were not without foundation or justification. Finally they had one of their own at the helm of affairs in the state. For instance, the labour party envisioned the Government House as being under their sphere of influence.

To the bar and the bench, at last, a pharaoh has come who would be a slave to equity, fairness and the rule of law.

The teachers appeared to have been the happiest of all. They turned themselves into the Jehovah Witness sect in drumming support for Oshiomhole and preaching what they called his message. In fact, one teachers’ association called ASUSS put on the toga of Oshiomhole’s vanguard. To them, the Biblical messiah had come at last to Edo State.

Then came the group of artisans, commercial drivers, women and road side traders and hawkers. To this group Oshiomhole had promised the abolition of daily ticket payment which ranged from N50.00 to N800.00. On the day he was sworn in as Governor (although he preferred Comrade-Governor as title) he assured commercial motorbike riders and bus drivers that their daily ticket payment of between N200.00 and N800.00 had become a thing of the past. Same went for market women, hawkers and roadside traders.

The next day after his swearing in, Benin City and all other major towns were engulfed in celebration by market women, commercial bus drivers, bike riders, artisans, hawkers etc. The slogan everywhere was: “No more ticket, No more ticket”.

On the side of public service workers, this was their government. It was their turn to enjoy. The dream to be the best paid public service worker in the country was a reality at last. Why not? Was the new Governor not their comrade? Was this not the labour leader who was always demanding for increased wages and better welfare packages for Nigerian workers?

Do you blame these people? After all, our memory is very short. We easily forgot that this same man called Oshiomhole was the leader of labour when Obasanjo was increasing fuel price every other day.

To say that Oshiomole has become a phenomenon to many people is saying the obvious. To many, he is the best Governor to have stepped into Osadebey Avenue, Benin City. To particularly those outside Edo State and those in the Diaspora, Oshiomhole is the best performing governor in Nigeria.

For this purpose, it would be easier to use the administration immediately before Oshiomhole as a comparative reference point. That administration is that of Professor Osarheimen Osunbor who was at Osadebey Avenue as Governor of Edo State from May 2007 to November 11 2008. Oshiomole came in November 12, 2008. Osunbor had 17½ Months while Oshiomole is spending the 34th month as Governor of Edo State. I have refused to use the much-vilified Lucky Igbinedion government as a reference point because the Oshiomhole set- up and that of Igbinedion are essentially the same.

The only change is that Igbinedion stepped aside and used his money and human resources to install his friend Oshiomole. Is anyone disputing the fact that it is the Igbinedion faction of PDP that metamorphosed into Edo State ACN and invited Oshiomhole from Labour and ANPP to come and take their ticket and fly their flag as gubernatorial candidate?

As I write this, Edo State public service workers are returning from strike over the minimum wage and sundry issues like excessive taxation, excessive deductions from local government councils allocations, etc.

This was after the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued by the NLC leadership in the state. Workers in the state are incensed that the Governor in trying to address the issue of minimum wage is dividing public sector workers into core civil servants and non-core civil servants.

Mr  Martins Owa Osakue ,a public commentator, wrote from Benin City