EDO STATE: IN THE THROES OF DEBTS

Comrade Adams Oshiomole, former Nigeria Labour Congress leader and now Executive Governor of Edo State is not a man to take for granted.  As former labour leader, he staged organised resistance against unpopular Government policies in his hey days as labour leader and succeeded although most of the “roundtable talks” ended in cosmetic changes.  He was to ride on the crest of that popularity to political prominence.

As Governor of the “heart beat of the nation”, the diminutive Comrade received overwhelming encomiums in his first four years because of the stellar performance he pulled up.  Long forgotten roads were overhauled and repaired.  Though he made media shows of them, the exercise was worth it: at least he was working.

But the story changed in his second tenure; all the laudable projects stopped and stories emerged about diversion of State funds and amassing of debts to satisfy personal greed.  The man who insisted that “godfatherism” was dead and should never be allowed resurrected it by himself; he became autocratic, the defacto and imperial King Napoleon with absolute powers leaving the State House of Assembly toothless.

To cut a long story short, a recent Opinion Survey conducted by Smart Media revealed no trace of the recently borrowed $75 million!  But from available sources much of the money appears to be traced to the Edo University many fear belongs to him!  Records show that nearly 32 billion has been sunk within 8 months to make the project a reality; that is in a State where Pensioners and workers have been turned into glorified “walking corpses”!

Though, no one can say it categorically, Oshiomole is believed to be building a staggering empire – with tentacles spread across Europe and the Middle East.  An online media recently claimed that the $630 million allegedly traced to him is but a tip of the iceberg.  If anything, his massive complex in Iyamho, said to be worth billions is a pointer to his overbearing “greed”.

However, the wily Governor would not be easily trapped anytime soon.  Little surprise then as his tenure winds down, he has exhumed “trusted” aides in Godwin Obaseki and Phillip Shuaibu to cover his tracks.  Therefore, the outcome of the September Poll may well be a “forgone” conclusion!

With Aduwawa road, the Auchi – Benin highway, especially the Ekpoma, Iruekpen axis in shambles, you want to ask yourself: what type of man is this Adams Oshiomole that will prefer the State to drift into no man’s land?

He has unfettered access to the President who is in the same Party with him; so why wouldn’t he take advantage of these to fix the roads?

Meanwhile, Maiduguri, Borno State Capital has far better road networks than Edo State, despite the devastating effect of the insurgency war.  Borno State does not owe staff salaries and construction work hasn’t stopped either!  Their loan portfolio is minimal compared to the voracious appetite for it in Edo State, where no thought is given to enslaving generations unborn!

This is why not a few people questions Oshiomole’s management style.  For a man whose table the bucks stops something must definitely be wrong to allow Edo State to degenerate to this sordid level.  “He ought to have sustained his first tenure tempo rather than withdraw”, said Johnbull Erosonwan, a freelance Journalist in the State.  Can he make amends? It is far too late!