BENIN-CITY/Nigeria: Coalition of Civil Society group known as Edo Alert in an emergency meeting held in Akoko Edo Local Government in Edo State has raised an alarm that some APC leaders are conspiring against the greatness of Edo State by competing for their pocket rather than the development of the State. They condemned the actions of the APC leaders in the State in their new formed habits of constantly reporting Governor Godwin Obaseki to the APC National chairman Comrade Adams Oshiomhole at every opportunity as recently reported in various publication.
According to them, “for us to fully realize our potentials as a State, we must resolve to build a State where we compete for progress and development and not compete for our pocket. We must reorientate ourselves from seeing Edo State as a farmland where everyone wants to be appointed in order to grab. A truly public spirited person should be able to shun personal interest because true leaders shun sectional interest and petty bickering.”
They maintained that constructive criticism help to put every thinking government on their toes to evaluate its actions but the ongoing criticism and condemnation is burn out of mischievous intentions with deliberate attempt to undermine the government just to cause disunity between the former governor and the incumbent. Obaseki could be derailed when he falls prey to the ongoing distraction by some party leaders for their personal and parochial interest.
In a Press Statement signed by the National Coodinator Comrade Segun Bello and made available to the press the group said “Plans have been concluded for a one million EDO ALERT rally and peaceful protest against the APC members.”Comrade Adams Oshiomhole meant well for Edo State that was why he handed over the State to a reliable hand. It behoves on all of us to support the incumbent governor to fulfill the desire of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who entrusted the State to under his care. They called on all well meaning Son’s and Daughters of Edo State extraction to be constantly alert against those they described as political jobbers and merchant seeking every opportunity to return the State to the era of under development.
The non partisan Group insist that “We are not concern whether it is Obaseki or not, let us allowed whoever is the governor to take charge of leadership of the state in piloting its affairs. Edo State government is under serious threat and attack by those who expected the government to share the common wealth of the State among individuals rather than development of the state. We are alerting the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress APC who was also the former Governor of the State to come to the rescue of Governor Godwin Obaseki from undue pressure.
Frowning against the actions of APC leaders in the state the group said the ongoing battle between Governor Akinwomi Ambode of Lagos State and the APC National Leader Bola Tinubu is as a result of internal political bewitchment by political merchants in Lagos State who expected Governor Ambode to give unwarranted political appointment and distribute the wealth of the state in the name of political appointment. Governor Ambode has delivered on his promises as Obaseki is delivering on his campaign promises but it would he unheard of to expect Governor Obaseki to dominate his appointment with the same set of people who played active role in the Oshiomhole’s administration.
The ongoing threat by some APC leaders in the State to dumped the All Progressive Congress APC if not appointed; is a joke taken too far by the leaders and their cohort. Governance is based on competency and not trial luck. The accusations against Obaseki administration by APC leaders is meant to create tension in the state as well as create false impression to the public about the efforts of the state government in repositioning the state.
World leaders across the globe have moved beyond self-interest and aggressive competition that characterises local politics and Edo State cannot be left behind. The call for appointment of Board members without establishing policy focus for the Board Members to operate is equal to building new structures on weightless foundation. A new focus and direction is been given to every agency of government by reviewing their outdated policies and update them to the current trend of things by capable consultant. It is only after this process that competent politicians from the state can be engaged.
The ongoing allegation that consultants from Lagos has taken over the Governor Godwin Obaseki administration is a falsehood as recently published. “Government has no business to be in business. Consultants are not politicians and government cannot engaged politicians on issues of policy formulation in the name of appointment. We must join hands with the Edo State government in setting our priorities right. When Godwin Obaseki resume office with the training and retraining of those to be appointed we applauded him it would be wrong to accuse the governor over the same issue we once applauded him on they said.
The Civil Society group has expressed fear that Governor Godwin Obaseki may soon bow to the weight of pressure for fear of losing APC members and this will have an adverse effect on the developmental focus of the state based on the foundation already laid by the comrade governor. Clearly this state of affairs cannot continue indefinitely, and government may eventually be forced through public pressure from these political merchants and return to the era where government resources are shared by few. We are therefore calling on the people of Edo State to be alert and prevailed on the Incumbent Governor to remain focused and favour the masses rather than his political associate in the name of party.
New economic arrangements involved the need to reverse decades of orthodox ways of doing government business. Instead of the endless drive to increase government appointee and increase the pressure on the public treasury the group has vowed to organised a protest against the Government and Governor of the state for perfecting plans to drift from development of the state in order to accommodate party members to fulfilled all righteousness. The governments must rethink the management of an economic system where the goal of economic policy must shift towards sustainable sufficiency rather than lording party decision upon well meaning Edo Sons and Daughters the statement added.
