By John Mayaki

MY attention has been drawn to a barrage of misguided, uninformed, and highly mischievous utterances of the Chairman of the Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) in Edo State, Dr. Samson Isibor who one can easily describe as a prodigal son in the wilderness. Besides, Isibor is also the Chairman of the indistinguishable Accord Party (AP) in the state.

As a prologue to this reaction, I read a publication in the Sun Newspapers of Tuesday, September 8, 2009 on page 14 where Isibor was quoted as saying: “You know we (Accord Party) have been vibrant. We have been the vocal opposition in the state. The PDP, which is supposed to be the main opposition, are in disarray because of the squabble in the party. So, we are the main opposition. We are really prepared for the next general election…”.

Now, the issues. As the Chairman of a registered political party (Accord Party) who doubles as Chairman of CRPP, one expected that the growth and survival of his party should pre-occupy him. However, he has by extension become the megaphone of a drowning PDP or better put according to Isibor as “party in disarray”. I have no doubt in my mind, just as the good people of Edo State that when you see charlatans who speak from both sides of their mouth, they can never be taken seriously.

Isibor who is now crying more than the bereaved alleged that the ousted PDP-led government during Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor performed when it held sway. The question is: Does Osunbor have the mandate of the people to preside over them? Of course, that government was anti-people, self-serving, and insincere and as such, the issue of performance does not arise.

The judgment of the Election Petition Tribunal and subsequent Appeal Court ruling where both courts established that the PDP and its cohorts actually rigged the 2007 polls are still fresh in our memories. However, this is an opportunity for us to call on President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to put in place, relevant agencies to prosecute electoral offenders so that those mentioned by the tribunal as election riggers are compelled to face the wrath of the law.

One of the questions that bothers me is:  Does the PDP ever win elections if not by the use of guns, thugs, ballot snatching and stuffing? This is definitely a case of the pot calling the kettle black because it is very clear that in the history of elections in this country, the mastery of rigging elections is credited to the PDP and they have always subverted the will of the people.

However, it is shocking for us to see a group of old, disgruntled, discredited, and shameless politicians who throw caution to the wind to run their mouths against Governor Oshiomhole. The PDP should be told not to speak because they like to hear their own voice through Isibor. I think we should not be caught exercising our jaws all in the name of defending the indefensible. The PDP is guilty of too many sins; they have made their beds, and they must lie on it nicely with whatever remains of their shame.

The Adams Oshiomhole led government is determined to succeed. The Governor has the courage to make stern and reasonable decisions and he is never afraid since he has no allegiance to any godfather or godmother. He has taken decisions that would make the needed difference in the state just as he needs and has the support of the people.

For Governor Oshiomhole, employment is critical in the state unlike his predecessors who saw workers not as resource factors but as cost agents.  I advise Isibor to immediately apply with the requisite qualifications and you can be sure that he will add value to his life, the state and his party. He is aware that the  PDP-led government in the state was looking at the wages payable to workers rather than the services rendered and because of that, where they could not sack, they froze employment even in the face of a growing population.

Presently, government has embarked on proper designs of the entire master plan of the city so as to see how water can be channelled from the various collection centres to the river and in doing that, working drawings have been produced to show the depth of the manholes and underground drainages to direct the water flow to the river.

Sequel to the Governor’s determination to carry out major reconstruction work in the state capital as contained in the year 2009 budget, a contract worth N3 billion was awarded and this included the studies and designs on the full implantation of the Benin Master Plan; this was awarded for N446 million. The design and dualisation of Siluko Road and the construction of Costain/Isonorho roads was awarded for N2.5 billion. The total kilometers of the roads are 4.1 km.

The contracts included full complements expected in decent modern roads and would also take care of the problem of flooding with drains on both sides, walkways, walk and 1.5 metre wide median.

The features of the road include 1.5 metres centre eye with beautification items such as grassing, plowers, street lights, bus-stops, drainages and de-flooding of adjacent flood basins along the road on Akugbe Lane by Oliha Market and Garrick Layout. The lightings will be powered by alternative current with the use of HPS bulbs. I think Isibor and his paymasters should appreciate this.

The effort of the state government in trying to clean up the streets of Benin City and restore the city back to its historic glory received applause by well-meaning Edo people and professionals alike. But, the so-called main opposition party (AP) of Isibor and what he termed ‘party in disarray’ can never see anything good in the demolition of illegal structures that have violated our right of ways.

The Adams Oshiomhole-led administration’s resolve to reconstruct and broaden  Ugbowo, Airport Road and other streets and remove all illegal structures from the state capital is a welcomed development. It will certainly bridge the long yawning gap between that glorious architectural past and the present day urban confusion and planlessness that has engulfed the entire state and Benin City in particular to meeting future urban developmental challenges.

One appreciates the hardship and the social dislocation this current exercise would have caused some affected individuals. This exercise should be taken as a sacrifice in the noble quest for urban sanitisation and as a lesson that it is always right to be on the side of the law and orderliness for any society to survive and make progress.

The present exercise could have been avoided, though, if successive governments saddled with the responsibility had been alive to their responsibilities in the first place.

The PDP ruled for about nine years and six months without any concrete or verifiable evidence that there was any resemblance of governance in the state. The mess, the corruption, and the near collapse of infrastructure are alarming and these, the  Oshiomhole-led government is successfully addressing in order to put the state on the right footing since assumption of office.

It is surprising that now that the Comrade is in government for barely 10 months, the eyes that were blind for 10 years want the Comrade to open them over night; he is not a magician. However, whoever is in doubt of his achievements should conduct a random sampling or opinion poll anywhere in Edo especially Benin City (Oredo, Egor and Ikpoba-Okha local government areas) to fully appreciate the giant strides of the Governor.

Mr.  Mayaki is SSA on Media to Edo State Governor.