…….says Oshiomhole divided Edo people
As governorship election in Edo State approaches, more people have continued to speak out on the current position of the state, and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s administration.
A US based Nigerian, Ralph Oduah has listed out qualities the next governor in Edo State should posses if he needs the support of the Edo people.
He opined that Oshiomhole has neglected different areas of its government, particularly the areas he promised to improved upon during his campaign.
Speaking with NAIJA CENTER NEWS, Ralph expressed disappointment over the current government performance, throw his support on a governorship aspirant Solomon Edibiri who he described as humble.
The US-based Nigerian who said he was concerned about the development of Edo State said “Under Oshiomhole government, other arms and tiers of government were crippled, Education was neglected, teachers were not employed, rather they were retrenched and not replaced. Schools have no chairs, and old buildings are destroyed. Education is an inalienable right, that was why Ambros Alli introduced free Education.
“This government increased school fees by N500 percent, especially in AAU. Lucky Igbinedion built two giant hostels and a faculty in AAU, he build Usen Polytechnic, he paid salaries and teachers were not retrenched.
“Oshiomhole divides Edo people instead of uniting them. He failed on health, agriculture and overtaxed Edo people especially transporters and market women using thugs as tax collectors.
“He promised 10000 jobs and sent almost a million people to the unemployment market. he said he did not promise to build industries, how do you want to create jobs without industries and new projects?
When asked if he knew about the Five Hundred Million Naira grants the governor allegedly granted to AAU, Ralph said “AAU is owned by Edo State, when you start giving grant to yourself you know t here is a problem.”
On the eight projects reported to have awarded by the governor recently, disappointed Ralph said ” I say the 8 project is an act of deceit, we are close to election again, it took him 7 years to award contract for AAU. If its true that he actually awarded eight contracts recently, i say it’s a political scam, the contracts will die when he complete his tenure in office”
On whether is has a political ambition in the future, Ralph said he won’t contest in a system that is not fixed.
He said “Votes don’t count in Nigeria. INEC elections are rigged, the judiciary is a mess, and we operate executive democracy, i won’t contest is the system that is not fixed. I will continue to fight for change”.
When asked if he criticized the governor because he is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, he said “I criticize Oshiomhole on issues, not because of political affiliation. If you handcuff a top government official or tell a widow to go and die, it criticize you. If you marginalize Edo people I will oppose you. If you inherit a N4.8 billion and increased the debt to more than N300 billion with nothing to show for it, I will oppose you. You cannot govern like a despot, we are suppose to have a democratic government. Can you compare second republic lawmakers, the okonjos, oloyos, Jemide, Vincent Ogun, Akpojaro, Alegbe etc to our president lawmakers? Remember at a time the moved to the governors office. Its difficult to support oshiomhole and APC, it is a very dangerous political party.”
“Edo need a God fearing and good person as governor. That person must see every Edo person, Etsako, Esan, Benin as one. He must be a uniter, must be able to bring everybody together, including “up Bendel” or up Edo spirit, destroyed by oshiomhole. Edo need a humble governor, he must see Edo people as partners not as subordinate. He must be gentle, not arrogant. The last time we had such a governor was Ambrose Alli. He was meek but he built 250 schools, established Ewu floor mill, built a university, 5 colleges of education, education was free at all levels, even those in school abroad got checks for their school fees. He introduced free health care, mobile clinic, job were created. He never built a single house for himself as governor. We dont need thugs to be governors or president. We dont need strong men, we need good men to rule. If we are looking for thugs or agbero we should go back to military regime. Ambrose Alli never insulted anyone, he never raised his voice.
I’ve have studied all the candidates for Edo governor position, both APC and PDP, Solomon Edebiri fits the profile of the man that will bring people together and make Edo one of the greatest states in the country. If Mike Onolememen was contesting i would have supported. Both of them are gentlemen. My heart is with Edebiri and i will follow my heart, it does not matter to me if he win or lose, if i support you that is it, thick or thin.”
Also I am attracted to Edebiris free education to J.S.S level, it’s doable and the money can come from education tax, 1 to 2 percent tax will finance it. At J.S.S you are educated, you can read and write. Everyone must be educated, it’s an inalienable right. It’s a human right issue.
When asked what’s different about Solomon Edebiri since past administrations made several promises which they ignored the moment they assumed offices, Ralph responded “The actors are not new to us. Those who have deceived us in the past, those who aligned with the deceivers, those who played macho politics or agbero politics should just fade away. Politics is risk, voters must be smart. Character matters, it does, will you hire a corrupt person or a bully to manage your business?. Edebiri’s record is clean, if given the option of a man with clean record and a man with bad record, you better choose the man with clean record than those with bad record.”
Ralph stressed that Oshiomhole was never a saint, he collected money from the Federal government to call of strike, his bad attitude did not start after his assumption of office.
“Oshiomhole did not come in clean, there was no social media to expose him when he was the NLC chairman. He used to collect money from government to call off strike, Obasanjo exposed him. He did not develop his bad character and deceit in Osadebey avenue, he did before he became a governor. I remember during the last governorship election, i called him a thief and Gen. Charles a robber, and i will add that i prefer a thief to a robber. We dont have good press in Nigeria to expose politicians.”
Ralph advised people to ignore political parties and concentrate individual with outstanding personalities, adding that both Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the ruling party, All Progressives Congress have both disappointed Edolites
“Edo people should elect individuals not party, both parties have failed Edo people. Does party matters again in Nigeria? These guys are PDP today and in a second they are in APC, they go back and forth from one party to another. They don’t care about the people, they care about their ambitions and how much they and the cronies can make. But if you are to choose between 2 devils, you must choose one. The election between Oshiomhole and Gen Charles was that of 2 devils. In Edo state right now, PDP is the lesser devil. APC is Oshiomhole personal property. His vote in APC is what matters, Edo should not near APC, its a party of devils.”
“There is not democracy in APC that was why Ize-Iyamu and others left the party. Today more youths expressed disappointment in APC than PDP, because Oshiomhole disappointed them. If you cannot fix the mess you met in 7 years, you cannot fix it in 100 years. Edo need change, real change not replacement. And you cannot be in charge for 7 years and talk about change” Ralph Oduah concluded.
2016: Solomon Edibiri will bring Edo people together - Ralph Oduah
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