CONGRATULATIONS TO OBASEKI ON HIS RE-ELECTION, BUT OUR ELECTIONS SHOULD BE DEVOID OF ANY LEVEL OF VIOLENCE
September 21, 2020 | News
While I congratulate Godwin Obaseki on his re-election as Governor of Edo State by the Edo State people, I also condemn some reported cases of election violence and the alleged killing(s) in the said election.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OBASEKI ON HIS RE-ELECTION, BUT OUR ELECTIONS SHOULD BE DEVOID OF ANY LEVEL OF VIOLENCE
While I congratulate Godwin Obaseki on his re-election as Governor of Edo State by the Edo State people, I also condemn some reported cases of election violence and the alleged killing(s) in the said election.
Agreed that, apparently, Obaseki's victory in the just concluded 2020 gubernatorial election in Edo State, is evident victory for majority of the Edo State people. But why should there be any alleged killing and violence at all in an election that was adjudged to be peaceful? Must there be the loss of someone's life in elections in Nigeria? What is the essence of the happiness and joy over the victory of Obaseki, when there was reported alleged killing(s) in the same election? When will elections in Nigeria be devoid of election violence and the shed of blood? We still have a long way to go as a country in the conduct of elections.
However, regardless of whether the said election was credible or not, while Obaseki's victory shows that he is admired and loved by majority of his Edo State people, but the fact that there was alleged killing(s), it questions the credibility of the overall electioneering process. There were reports of some pockets of violence in some centers, and the alleged blood shed. This greatly questions the overall supposed success of the election and the performance of the Security operatives as well as INEC officials. There are allegations of intimidation by the PDP-led Edo State Government. But we must commend Ize-Iyamu, Oshiomhole and their supporters for not creating an apprehensive atmosphere that may have caused further crises and trouble, over the outcome of the said election which was not in their favour.
I also commend President Muhammadu Buhari for not using his "federal might" as the ruling APC, to interfere in the 2020 gubernatorial election of Edo State to favour his party member, Ize-Iyamu.
If President Muhammadu Buhari and his led federal government had used their 'political might', as it was done in the then PDP Federal administration led by former President Goodluck Jonathan, I am certain that Ize-Iyamu, who would be a PDP member as part of the ruling Federal Government, would have won the election hands down. So, I commend President Buhari for not taking sides with his ruling party of APC, and for congratulating Obaseki over his election victory.
Now, it is left for Obaseki to reconcile with his godfather and mentor, Oshiomhole, whom he actually called his mentor, and mentor to some others. Obaseki's victory is tied to Oshiomhole as well because he gave him the opportunity to be in Government, and now to be re-elected again as the Governor of Edo State. Oshiomhole gave Obaseki the opportunity to be in Edo State Government House for his first term, and for his Edo people to admire him, which have apparently made him to be re-elected as the Governor of Edo State for a second term in office.
I read a comment online that Obaseki is the first governor in Edo State to win as a Governor under two major parties of the APC and PDP. But that to me, is not an achievement. It is simply a praise singing and sycophancy remark by desperate politicians, political comedians and elites who are looking for government patronage and appointments. Obaseki should not be carried away by some of these desperate elites and politicians of Edo State, with their praise singing. It is time for Obaseki to work and not all of this sweet talk.
As for me, Oshiomhole remains Obaseki's mentor and godfather, as said by him in his inaugural speech in his first term in office. He publicly declared that Oshiomhole is his mentor, and that he would build on his solid foundation. Those Edo State elites, politicians, political comedians and media, should not heat up the existing disagreements between Obaseki and Oshiomhole. No person is perfect. Obaseki should know that he has huge responsibilities before him as demonstrated by the Edo State people. He should concentrate and deliver to his people, rather than gifting out appointments that are useless and meaningless. What Edo State people need is development and not sweet talks by elites, political comedians and politicians. Obaseki must ignore all of this usual media hype by political comedians/cartoonists and remain focused on how to develop Edo State.
The likes of Dino Melaye and others have nothing to contribute to good governance and the development of Edo State. I am aware that the Edo State resources were spent on politicians for the tough fight. But Obaseki should look inwards and avoid spending State resources to please and satisfy interest groups. What Edo State needs is development and not the rhetorics, praise-singing and shenanigans of politicians.
With the outcome of the Edo State election, for Ize-Iyamu who lost out, he still has the option of going to the election tribunals/courts to challenge the said election results if he so pleases. As for Oshiomhole, he was a governor for eight years in Edo State, leader of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for quite some time, and also played significant roles in the development of the APC as the ruling party for some years now. So, he should be thankful to God. Oshiomhole has achieved greatness. I hear people say Oshiomhole has lost out politically. But Oshiomhole actually loses nothing in the said Edo State election, as reported by the media because he remains significant to the political success of the two gubernatorial candidates concerned.
It is a dangerous phenomenon in Nigeria that every elite wants to be in government. The government has become a business career for the Nigerian elites. But what has Oshiomhole lost, of course really nothing. He remains a mentor to Obaseki, regardless of their disagreements, which I know will fizzle out too. What is required right now is for Edo State to be developed, and not all the usual rhetoric statements by some politicians, political comedians and elites looking for appointments and Government patronage in Edo State. Let the victory of Obaseki be a wake up call for the actual development of Edo State.
Zik Gbemre.
September 21, 2020.
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
While I congratulate Godwin Obaseki on his re-election as Governor of Edo State by the Edo State people, I also condemn some reported cases of election violence and the alleged killing(s) in the said election.
Agreed that, apparently, Obaseki's victory in the just concluded 2020 gubernatorial election in Edo State, is evident victory for majority of the Edo State people. But why should there be any alleged killing and violence at all in an election that was adjudged to be peaceful? Must there be the loss of someone's life in elections in Nigeria? What is the essence of the happiness and joy over the victory of Obaseki, when there was reported alleged killing(s) in the same election? When will elections in Nigeria be devoid of election violence and the shed of blood? We still have a long way to go as a country in the conduct of elections.
However, regardless of whether the said election was credible or not, while Obaseki's victory shows that he is admired and loved by majority of his Edo State people, but the fact that there was alleged killing(s), it questions the credibility of the overall electioneering process. There were reports of some pockets of violence in some centers, and the alleged blood shed. This greatly questions the overall supposed success of the election and the performance of the Security operatives as well as INEC officials. There are allegations of intimidation by the PDP-led Edo State Government. But we must commend Ize-Iyamu, Oshiomhole and their supporters for not creating an apprehensive atmosphere that may have caused further crises and trouble, over the outcome of the said election which was not in their favour.
I also commend President Muhammadu Buhari for not using his "federal might" as the ruling APC, to interfere in the 2020 gubernatorial election of Edo State to favour his party member, Ize-Iyamu.
If President Muhammadu Buhari and his led federal government had used their 'political might', as it was done in the then PDP Federal administration led by former President Goodluck Jonathan, I am certain that Ize-Iyamu, who would be a PDP member as part of the ruling Federal Government, would have won the election hands down. So, I commend President Buhari for not taking sides with his ruling party of APC, and for congratulating Obaseki over his election victory.
Now, it is left for Obaseki to reconcile with his godfather and mentor, Oshiomhole, whom he actually called his mentor, and mentor to some others. Obaseki's victory is tied to Oshiomhole as well because he gave him the opportunity to be in Government, and now to be re-elected again as the Governor of Edo State. Oshiomhole gave Obaseki the opportunity to be in Edo State Government House for his first term, and for his Edo people to admire him, which have apparently made him to be re-elected as the Governor of Edo State for a second term in office.
I read a comment online that Obaseki is the first governor in Edo State to win as a Governor under two major parties of the APC and PDP. But that to me, is not an achievement. It is simply a praise singing and sycophancy remark by desperate politicians, political comedians and elites who are looking for government patronage and appointments. Obaseki should not be carried away by some of these desperate elites and politicians of Edo State, with their praise singing. It is time for Obaseki to work and not all of this sweet talk.
As for me, Oshiomhole remains Obaseki's mentor and godfather, as said by him in his inaugural speech in his first term in office. He publicly declared that Oshiomhole is his mentor, and that he would build on his solid foundation. Those Edo State elites, politicians, political comedians and media, should not heat up the existing disagreements between Obaseki and Oshiomhole. No person is perfect. Obaseki should know that he has huge responsibilities before him as demonstrated by the Edo State people. He should concentrate and deliver to his people, rather than gifting out appointments that are useless and meaningless. What Edo State people need is development and not sweet talks by elites, political comedians and politicians. Obaseki must ignore all of this usual media hype by political comedians/cartoonists and remain focused on how to develop Edo State.
The likes of Dino Melaye and others have nothing to contribute to good governance and the development of Edo State. I am aware that the Edo State resources were spent on politicians for the tough fight. But Obaseki should look inwards and avoid spending State resources to please and satisfy interest groups. What Edo State needs is development and not the rhetorics, praise-singing and shenanigans of politicians.
With the outcome of the Edo State election, for Ize-Iyamu who lost out, he still has the option of going to the election tribunals/courts to challenge the said election results if he so pleases. As for Oshiomhole, he was a governor for eight years in Edo State, leader of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for quite some time, and also played significant roles in the development of the APC as the ruling party for some years now. So, he should be thankful to God. Oshiomhole has achieved greatness. I hear people say Oshiomhole has lost out politically. But Oshiomhole actually loses nothing in the said Edo State election, as reported by the media because he remains significant to the political success of the two gubernatorial candidates concerned.
It is a dangerous phenomenon in Nigeria that every elite wants to be in government. The government has become a business career for the Nigerian elites. But what has Oshiomhole lost, of course really nothing. He remains a mentor to Obaseki, regardless of their disagreements, which I know will fizzle out too. What is required right now is for Edo State to be developed, and not all the usual rhetoric statements by some politicians, political comedians and elites looking for appointments and Government patronage in Edo State. Let the victory of Obaseki be a wake up call for the actual development of Edo State.
Zik Gbemre.
September 21, 2020.
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes