Now that the battle is over, we are clear-headed on where Edo State is heading to politically and economically. We are happy that Edo State is now into the mainstream of the Nigerian politics as the ruling party. It is gratifying to note that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has formed the incoming administration at the centre.
It is also interesting to note that the Edo State House of Assembly will remain an APC- dominated House of Assembly as those who wanted to cause mayhem in the state using their anticipated numerical strength in the House were roundly disappointed by Edo people as Edo people made their position loudly known on April 11, 2015.
Now is season for agenda setting for the elected politicians across the country and many people are putting their messages across to citizens through all channels available. Little wonder therefore, the Chairman of the People Deceive People (PDP) in Edo State, Chief Dan Osi Orbih used the last opportunity he had to speak with media men to begin to propagate a voodoo agenda for the Edo State House of Assembly.
While waking up from the massive defeat the PDP suffered in the recently held Edo State House of Assembly elections where many Edo voters literally poured chilled water on the war monger of Edo State, Chief Dan Orbih, he told journalists who converged on their party’s secretariat in Benin recently that his party “ looked forward to a vibrant and focused Edo legislature devoid of political sentiments.
He shamelessly admitted that his party “cannot boast of majority representation at the Edo Assembly” for what he described as “tactical reasons” but he went on to say:” it is good that the APC have good majority at the State House of Assembly and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole will have no excuse to give Edo people for his failure.”
One expects that his party having failed woefully at the Edo House of Assembly polls, a Dan Orbih would bury his face in shame and disgrace because all his barefaced lies, media attacks and insults he hauled on the person of the comrade governor all aimed at hoodwinking Edo people and deceiving them the way they deceived Nigerians for over 16 years, he is still rearing his ugly head out in public. Edo people expects Dan Orbih to go into hiding because his diabolic plans to unleash crisis on the state with a PDP-dominated House of Assembly collapsed on his head!
He equally claims that with the thieving of Federal seats in Edo South and central under questionable circumstances in the March 28 polls was what he now needs to struggle for the Governorship election in the 2016 governorship elections in the state. What a hallucination!
Edo PDP and Dan Orbih should by now be in hiding and licking their wounds as a result of the humiliating defeat they suffered on April 11. The PDP at the National level and Edo State has been permanently fractured, dismembered and its foundation destroyed. Dan orbih should in the next three years busy himself with picking the bits and pieces of his heavily decimated party and forget about Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. Dan Orbih should in like manner, forget the 2016 governorship election
The Edo State House of Assembly has been elected and they will be inaugurated by the Comrade Governor at the appropriate time. I will urge all elected Edo Assembly members to discountenance Chief Dan Orbih’s scatting commentaries on the comrade governor and move ahead at inauguration to carry out good legislative business for the common good of all Edo people.
First, I will urge the newly elected Edo Assembly members to work closely with the Comrade Governor to massively develop the state.
The new EDHA members must not be distracted by side talks by vagabonds and never-do-well fellows whose sole agenda is destruction and character assassination. The next Edo Assembly must keep evil persons in the state who do not mean well at arms lenght and go ahead to make good laws for the good people of Edo State.
The incoming EDHA is not an opposition House or PDP house of commotion. It is a hose made up of distinguished Edo Sons and daughter. It is a House which respects constituted authority and which should carry out its oversight functions in ways and manners that reflects the actual policies and programmes of government as well as expenditure in line with approved budgets.
The incoming Edo Assembly must ensure timely consideration and passage of the annual Appropriation Bills from the Executive arm of government because it will do nobody any good if the state budget is delayed unnecessarily because one Dan Orbih exists somewhere. It is on record that the Edo State Comrade Governor, always presents the State annual budget very timely in the outgoing year, so it will be good for the House to consider and pass the budget before January 1 of every year so that the on-going all round development activities of government can continue unhindered.
By May 29, 2015, the PDP led Federal Government will be handing over power to the APC-led administration, as at this time the 2015 federal budget has not been passed and so, all MDAs are just looking and that is what Dan Orbih wants to be happening in Edo. It can never happen.
Lastly, the new assembly men should complement our comrade governor’s rapid development agenda with their constituency projects. In the past efforts have been in the areas of sinking bore hole. The new assembly should consider other areas such as setting up cottage industries that will create wealth and employment for our teaming unemployed youths.
Mr. Dan Owegie is a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State.
House of Assembly
