By Charles Adegbite and Chinelo Obogo
CANDIDATES in the race for Edo State Government House last night laid bare their intellects for the public scrutiny, as they tried to sell them- selves to voters in the first governorship debate televised live.
The debate saw candidates of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Godwin Obaseki; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Osagie Ize- Iyamu; All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Osaro Onaiwu and Amos Areolegbe of the Labour Party (LP) slugging out in a robust debate, which had journalists and stake- holders in attendance.
The Edo State governorship election holds on Saturday, September 10.
In the debate, the various candidates assured the electorate that priority would be given to security of life and property in the state, with all expressing concern over the scary security situation in Edo.
Obaseki promised to consolidate on measures taken so far by the outgoing governor, Adams Oshiomhole, which he noted have helped to reduce crime in the state.
Ize-Iyamu, on his part, promised to create special allowance for police personnel, invest in modern gadgets, like tracking device as well as mobilise local vigilantes. He further noted that gainful employment of able-bodied men would go a long way in reducing crime in the state.
Onaiwu said his administration would lit up the streets, invest in neighborhood watch and the police, just as Arelegbe spoke in similar vein.
But even as the candi- dates agreed on the need to tackle security in the state, they did not spare one another.
Ize-Iyamu lambasted the APC and alleged that the party plunged the state into disaster within the eight years of being power. He lamented that the administration of Governor Oshiomhole had earned not less than N1.4trillion but still borrowed $150million from
the World Bank.
He said: “This is a government that has got the privilege to have close to N1.4trillion and yet they have carried the state into high level of indebtedness. “In the past two years alone, they borrowed $150 million from the World Bank. Look at the exchange rate now, and that money is supposed to be paid back in dollars. And they say they have economic adviser. I believe this government has been a disaster.”
The PDP candidate ex- pressed disappointment that the Oshiomhole government had performed woefully, after he left the cabinet as Secretary to the State Government, in the first term.
His words: “I was just looking at the statistics and I found that in the education sector in Edo State, they have only 17 Physics teachers, 12 Biology teachers and in the Central Hospital, there was no incubator and because of that infant mortality has shot up in Edo State. It is unbelievable. If you look at it sectorally, this government has been a disaster. In the industrial sector, they have failed.”
Obaseki concen- trated more on what the state government had achieved under the APC. He absolved the state government of blame over non-payment of lo- cal governments salaries in the state, explaining that local government councils are autonomous, as they receive their allocation from the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC).
He said: “Edo State meets its own obligations and we insist that when local governments get their allocations directly, they must pay primary school teachers. We also advised that they restructure and prune ghost workers so that whatever allocation they get would be sufficient to pay the workers’ salaries. If they have not done that, how is it the government’s fault?
“I am surprised that my opponent (Ize-Iyamu), whose former principal was indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), can be accus- ing this government of corruption. This administration has always been very transparent in its financial dealings and
it is not corrupt. When the PDP was in charge of the federal institutions, they kept harassing Edo government officials by using the EFCC to interrogate them, but nothing indicting was ever found.”
Onaiwu said he would replicate the Anambra model in Edo State, saying Anambra State, while Areolegbe described himself as the messiah Edo people should be expecting.
When asked if he could convince voters that he has divine mandate to
be the governor, he said: “When I said I’m the messiah, that I have a divine mandate, I know what I am saying. I was working in the company as an accountant before
I heard that divine call when God said that He had heard the cries of his people in Edo State and that he was sending me to liberate them, to give them what it is and take them where they ought to be.
“I will give them proper accountability and transparency in governance. When you are transparent, you will carry people along and people will know how much that is coming in and how much that is being spent.”
According to him, only LP could bring true democracy to Edo State.
Ogbeson community appreciates Oshiomhole, promises to vote Obaseki
THE Ogbesan community in Ikpoba-Okha local government area of Edo State, has presented a certificate of commendation to Governor Adams Oshiomhole as a mark of appreciation for his intervention in reclaiming the gully erosion-ravaged areas of the community.
Besides, the leadership of the community has promised to massively vote for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Godwin Obaseki in the governorship election in the state as part of the appreciation of the good works of Oshiomhole.
The community promised that they will never forget how he saved them from being consumed by the gully erosion.
In his speech at the event, the Enogie of Ogbeson, HRH Prof. Aduwa Ogiegbaen said: “I want to say that the people of Ogbeson love you, they appreciate what you have done. We will support all the way in whatever you are doing. We are sitting here today because of you. We couldn’t stand here three years ago, let alone sitting down. Those who didn’t see what happened here in the previous years will not appreciate what happened here – the devastation, the trauma and the difficulties our people went through for several years before you came. This community has benefitted immensely from your government. A lot of people lost their properties, lost their lives, and today, we are looking at this place”.
PDP raises the alarmover police clamp down
EDO State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday raised the alarm over what it called “unabated police clampdown
on its leaders and supporters in the state” ahead of Saturday election.
The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Chris Nehikhare in a statement yesterday in Benin, alleged that over 22 members of its supporters have been arrested by the police without giving reasons for their arrest.
“As the countdown to the historic 2016 governorship election in Edo State enters its last week, the attempt to muzzle the opposition PDP by state security forces seems to have intensified, going by reports of harassment and massive arrests of leaders and supporters of the party by the police across the state.
“Over the weekend, the police stormed the house of the former state secretary of the party, Mr. Felix Utobor, in Igueben local government area of Edo Central Senatorial district and sensing political victimisation, Utobor escaped through the back door and is now in hiding.
“In Owan East local government area of Edo North Senatorial district, a former deputy speaker and majority leader of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Fred Omoigberale was arrested on the second occasion of the policemen’s call at his home.
“From reports, the police having missed him at home the first time, went to his office where in his absence his manager was subjected to humiliation upon learning that he was a member of the PDP.
“In Iyamho, Etsako West LGA, 22 members of the PDP were also arrested. No reasons have been given for these mass arrests.
“Recently, there have been allegations by the PDP and other concerned stakeholders that the ruling APC has as part of its design to manipulate the election to its advantage, adopted the use of the state security agencies, particularly the police, to intimidate the PDP and people sympathetic to their cause.
“Our party, the PDP is joining various civil society groups calling for the intervention of the international community and the presidency to check the ugly trend because if not checked, the stage may be set for a compromised and violence-prone election in Edo State.
“The world is watching how the ruling party in Nigeria is implementing the rules of democracy
it inherited from the PDP mid last year,” the statement said.
However, the police have however denied the allegation of indiscriminate arrests of PDP members.
Spokesman of the Edo Police Command, Theo Okafor who made the denial, explained that any person found to be committing crime in the society will be arrested and prosecuted and that nobody should read political motives to the arrest of criminals.
He called on party leaders to control their members by ensuring that they did not involve in criminal activities before, during and after the election, as the police will not spare any person caught committing crime.