Oshiomhole’s govt most corrupt By THANKGOD OFOELUE, Benin A former senatorial candidate for Edo South Senatorial Zone and former Editor of Insider magazine, Osa Director has described Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s government as the best in Edo State, but unfortunately also, the most corrupt. Osa Director, who spoke at the unveiling of a new metropolitan newspaper, The Moat on Saturday at the NUJ Press Centre, Benin, used the opportunity to enjoin journalists to maintain law, order, and ensure good governance through objective reportage. Comparing the administrations of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Lucky Igbinedion and Oshiomhole, he stated that whereas Igbinedion’s government is ideologically conservative, that of Oshiomhole is welfarist. They are also the only two that have secured two terms each. He recalled when his magazine, Insider, described Igbinedion as a flying governor, since he travelled out of Nigeria 21 times, but stated that Oshiomhole is a flying saucer, having travelled out a whopping 45 times within the same period. Blaming the media for not sitting up to fight this anomaly in the Edo State administration, Director wondered why the governor was always on the run, preferring to shut down the state each time he is away, and which happens practically every week. His words: The media hail Oshiomhole as the standard-bearer in the fight against political godfatherism. While not denying the visible role he has played in this battle to rid the state of an indolent parasitic elite class, one may question his motive. Is it just to replace some set of godfathers with another led by him? Why have the media not been forthcoming in historically situating and crediting the authentic heroes of this fight against political godfathers in Edo State? Continuing, he said: “One administration was led by a chief and the other by a comrade.” However, a chief is not necessarily a thief, and a comrade is not a saint. In this instance, both the chief and the comrade are thieves. The only difference is that the comrade is a wiser thief than the chief.” The former editor lambasted Oshiomhole, stating that Igbinedion built an ultra-modern hospital in Benin – the Stella Obasanjo Hospital for Women and Children, without making too much noise, whereas Oshiomhole started renovating the Central Hospital with a lot of fanfare. He accused the governor of sinking billions of naira into the project, and as usual with 15 to 25 % kickbacks collected upfront and diverted to private pockets, the project was abandoned after killing a man, and for eight months, abandoned. The building, he stated, according to Nigerian Society of Engineers, did not meet required professional standard, and is a disaster waiting to happen. “The remedy is either to level the building or embark on structural reinforcements; either way, that will cost another billions of naira down the drain,” Osa said. Continuing, he fired: “How about the seven kilometre Airport Road that dragged on for four years? It has cost over seven billion naira, thus becoming the most expensive road construction in the world. Not even in Singapore where land had to be reclaimed from the sea did road construction cost so much. Sincerely speaking, there is no denying the fact that Oshiomhole is the best governor Edo State has produced till date. Ironically and arguably, he is also the most corrupt and bankrupt, morally and politically.” Highlight of the event was the unveiling of The Moat newspapers, published by Good Governance Network and which is poised to educate Edo people on the rubrics of good governance in times to come.
Posted on: Sat, 09 Nov 2013 03:59:01 +0000