Edo State PDP Chairman, Dan Orbih, in this interview with Special Correspondent, TITUS OISE, takes a swipe at Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s administration, describing it as a disaster.
Assessing Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s administration at six
I have already described Oshiomhole’s sixth anniversary as celebration of failure and deceit. Never had we seen anybody in public office celebrating abysmal failure in the way and manner Oshiomhole invited people from outside Edo State to mark that event.
In fact, based on close observation of what transpired from the first time he came in with so much promise to this moment where his popularity has fallen to the lowest ebb, one will be right to describe him as a man who fits into the lyrics of legendary Jimmy Cliff with the words, “the harder they come, the harder they fall”. That is exactly how Oshiomhole is.
Edo people were actually looking forward for him to tell us what he had achieved and what he intended to do with the remaining two years. Instead, he turned the occasion into an arena of throwing punches at the president. Listening to him, I was also reminded of another great song by Jimmy Cliff titled ‘Hypocrite’. This was the same governor who, few weeks ago, welcomed the president and went with him to commission the Benin-Ore Road, which he described as the best road in this part of the world, that now turned round and abused Mr. President that he came to re-surface the Benin-Ore Road. The same man who, a few months ago, when the Minister of Agriculture came to commission irrigation project, praised the federal government to high heavens, eulogising the impact the project will have on the people, now says that the president has not done anything for Edo. I am aware that even a blind man travelling from Benin City to Abuja will appreciate the on-going construction work.
Incidentally, that road passes Oshiomhole’s house in Iyamho. I also know that we have today 200 motorised borehole projects through the effort of the Benin Owena River Basin. But the man who has not been able to fix Benin roads is saying Mr. President has not done anything for Edo.
I am aware that Jonathan has approved the establishment of a new university – Federal University of Building Technology – in Uromi. Staff are already on the ground supervising the construction of some of the buildings. Even in my own community, Mr. President has given us Government Girls Secondary School. The same thing is happening at the University of Benin (UI). I want to say it loud and clear that come 2015 presidential election, we will vote massively for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate. We have seen very clearly the difference between what the PDP-led federal government stands for and what the All Progressives Congress (APC) government of rascality stands for. There is no basis for comparison.
Jonathan doing enough to guarantee him a second term
For the first time, we are seeing a president who is going about quietly addressing fundamental issues facing our nation. What he has achieved in the power sector in the last few years and his roadmap towards provision of power, which is the bedrock to any administration especially as it relates to industrialisation and production capacity of most industries, is novel. In the transportation sector, people can now travel at ease. I believe if given a chance, some of the foundations he has laid in various sectors will manifest in another one or two years, and Nigeria will be better for it.
Tom Ikimi and Osagie Ize-Iyamu who defected to the PDP shortchanged in ward congresses
I can appreciate where your question is coming from. At the time we started depleting the number of APC in Edo, Oshiomhole’s only hope was that at the PDP congress, the party would be divided and abandoned. But to his greatest surprise, nothing in that light happened. He is now the one saying we are aware Ize-Iyamu and Ikimi are not happy. I want to say that the two are happy and satisfied with the way the party conducted the primaries.
Defectors from APC crying out to the President at South South rally over marginalisation
I was at the presidential rally at the Ogbe Stadium. I didn’t see anybody cry, neither did I see anybody holding any handkerchief. The only man who was holding handkerchief was the musician, Sam Okposo; he was singing Ijaw song waving the handkerchief. Nobody cried. I want to tell you that today we are one big family.
