AS EDOLITES GO TO THE POLLS

Few days to Edo Elections. Alot of my acquaintances, friends and even critics on social media have inundated me with calls as regards where my pendulum of support would swing between the two leading political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress. Both parties are the only registered parties that have ever gotten the opportunity to pilot the affairs of the state since the new political dispensation. 

In recent times, I have watched from afar how politics has played out in my dear state, and how heated the campaigns have been. Boths parties, their supporters and the leading candidates have crisscrossed every nook and cranny of the state to canvass for votes. We must commend both camps for carrying out this onus responsibility in an ambience devoid of violence, thuggery and intimidation.

As we are about to elect a new leadership in our state, let us be aware, that bad leadership and governance does not know brother, sister, or town's men. If an Auchi man is a governor and he increases the school fees of Ambrose Alli university,  the Auchi indigenes in that university will pay the new school fees and they will not be exempted because the governor is Auchi. So let us open our eyes, open our minds and thoughts as we head to the polls.

There is no politician without a score card. The frontline candidates have been active players in the political arena of the state in recent times. Governor Godwin Obaseki was the chairman of the state's economic team for eight years when comrade Adams Oshiomole was Governor and was elected governor in 2016. Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu was a chief of staff for four years and Secretary to the State Government for four years from 1999 to 2007 during the tenure of former Governor Lucky Igbenedion.

Elections are a yardstick to evaluate performance. If any of the candidates deserve our votes, such candidate must earn it not because second term is a must or because we want to please the power brokers in the state. Edolites must not be distracted by the chants of "Edo no be Lagos", "four plus four", "acid throwing pastor ", "700 million naira pastor" and all of that. We should  beam our searchlight on what Governor Obaseki has done to merit a second tenure and why we must swap him with pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu if he has failed. 

The campaigns have been devoid of violence thus far, we must commend both parties. But, they have been very empty and have not been issue based. Political name calling has never been this rife in the history of  our dear state. It saddens my heart to see politicians travel hundreds of miles just to sing "pepper them" and dance without telling the people what they have done with their four years mandate and why they deserve another. The other camp are not doing better, you cannot go to rallies just to pour invectives on government officials to get voter sympathy.

Enough of all the dance and drama, we want issue based campaigns, what strategy do both camps have to solve the Ecological disaster in Auchi and if there is any, considering the effects of covid 19 on the economy, how do they intend to fund such project? What can they do to boost the small scale enterprise industry in the state? For donkey years, Edo Students have not received bursary from a government that represents them, how can we revise this malicious trend? Ambrose Alli University's monthly subvention is the lowest in South South, is there any plans to scale it up and upgrade our glorified Secondary school cum University? The whole of Esan Land doesn't have a central water system, the senatorial district relies heavily on rain water and very rare cases borhole for survival, when will our government fix this problem permanently? What happened to the Benin Erosion storm project, why has it been abandoned? Why cant we send our children to Edo University Iyamho, why should Edolites pay as much as four hundred to six hundred thousand naira as school? Education, quality one at that, is expensive. Edo University should be an incubation room where the states finest in academics are moulded free of charge. Why haven't we developed new Districts in Benin city to decongest the city? Why is our cultural and tourism industry in shambles, we have no business dependent on oil with our rich culture and heritage. Are we leveraging on our comparative advantage as a gateway to north, south, west and eastern parts of Nigeria?

My good people of Edo state, let's not be distracted from the issues that affect us in general, politicians are experts in the game, they would act all sorts of drama to distract us from raising constructive discuss because  most of them are driven by their self serving interests. When next they stop by at your neighborhood with DJs and loudspeakers, tell them to switch them off and engage them in proper discuss and ensure that the promises they made are time bound. I will construct road AZ to BQ, ok fine, when? which year's budget are you going to fix the project? In the eventuality that Mr politician reneged, what will happen? Put it on tape, record the conversations, "when that year come and he no do am, anytime he come campaign for that place, make una contitinue that conversation from that video".

September 19 is two weeks away, election is not war, those stockpiling arms to give to young people to cause mayhem are very much aware of the sanctity of human life, that is why their children are resident in highbrow areas overseas with the best quality education the world can give. As we head to the polls, the interest of Edo state must superceed and override every individual interest no matter how highly placed such person might be. If anything goes wrong in Edo, then, everything may likely be wrong with 2023.

God bless Edo

God bless Nigeria 

Adamu Deco Suleman 

decosule@gmail.com