After the dismal flooding situation that caught Governor Obaseki pants down concerning the sorry state of affairs in Edo state, I saw a video clip where the Governor tried to locate the problem at the doorstep of the Federal Government. What he intended to serve as fresh menu for Edo citizens to bail him out of such a calamitous embarrassment, ended up worsening his already bad situation. When a government has failed in its constitutional responsibilities, it searches for excuses from the potholes and flooded plains it created by its own inaction. Vigilant Edo people were on hand to expose the montage of Governor Obaseki’s failure and the general morass that governance has been reduced to. When a leader tells lies, you can deduce that they are lies, from the twist of his mouth.
Edo state has been in a very sorry state simply because Governor Obaseki failed woefully to embark on the continuity of the projects that his predecessor had started; these projects spanned the entire gamut of the areas of life in the state. For Obaseki, rather that be seen to be working in Comrade Oshiomole’s shadows, he chose to cut his face to spite his face by not doing any work. When I think of how the journey to Eldorado has been aborted by Obaseki, I am near tears. Indeed Obaseki and his ego can be said to be the bane of Edo State. Comrade Oshiomhole as Governor, started a laudable project of reclamation and flood control in Benin City and other parts of the state: Auchi erosion was reclaimed, Queen Ede erosion was reclaimed, Five junction erosion was reclaimed, Ugbiyoko, Ebvobutu and Siluko Roads were reclaimed.
All was done but for linking of the tunnel across the Siluko Road, to empty the water down to Mission Road and Ikpoba River; sadly, Obaseki did not and has still done this bit; he abandoned the project. There were huge underground tunnels, sizeable enough to take a full size tipper lorry, buried underground, terminating at Igbinaduwa, these tunnels were planned to terminate in Ikpoba River. Obaseki hasnt done anything about them in his six years. He has refused to desilt the drains to give way for free flow of water from primary drains to secondary drains across the metropolis.
Last week, the hand of God showed; Governor Obaseki was caught in the flood on Sapele Road and his convoy got stuck in the mud. A child that says his mother will know no sleep, will also be awake. As Obaseki has refused to frontally attack the flooding situation, it trapped him. His own deliberate inaction or actions and under-performance trapped him. Trust Edo people, they are ever vigilant to capture happenings around their environment.
They made videos of Governor Obaseki’s convoy dancing azonto in the flood. Shamelessly and obviously without compunction he responded to the jeering of his kinsmen saying that Federal Government has refused to allow him to intervene in HIS LOCAL FLOODING ISSUE. He reminds me of tenants who suffer serial bouts of malaria because he is waiting for his landlord to come and fix the broken mosquito nets in the house in which he lives; that is the kind of man that we have governing Edo State. What about state government roads, what has he done about them?
They are as parlous as the ones he is pointing fingers at the Federal Government about. Instead of facing the expected goals of providing a better life for the Edo people through sustainable means, he’s busy pursuing artefacts, abusing power by illegally with-holding the statutory allocation due to the Benin Traditional Council and what not. There are so many roads that fall within the purview of the state government but Governor Obaseki would rather war-war with his political superiors than devote time to adding value and providing dividends to the state and its people by his governance.
Lies have their expiry dates; we all know that. Soon the eclipse of the workings of Governor Obaseki will be removed, allowing a great light to shine on the real state of affairs of Edo State. Then, all will be clear for us all to see. We know that the Federal Government refunded N18billion to Edo state being payment for Federal projects undertaken by his predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
If one asks Obaseki and his cronies what they are spending Edo’s resources on, one will get insulted. When asked to showcase their achievements, they spat out unprintable names. If they are asked to display their tendering process, for transparency and openness, they will say you are looking for appointment. But we know Edo state very well; we know how it has been left to rot. Governor Obaseki’s chequered history will forever be remembered in low tones and murmurs.
