In a chat with the Weekend OBSERVER in his office recently, the SUBEB boss Prince Stephen Alao said the emergence of Oshiomhole as governor of Edo State marked a fresh era of progressive politics in the annals of hearthbeat state.
Prince Alao, who is endowed with sharp reflexes and highly penetrating mind, asserted that Oshiomhole’s foot prints in the areas of infrastructural and manpower development can never be erased from the sand of Edo and the pages of her history however hard revisionists might try.
“Oshiomhole is a brand. He is a phenomenon His good works have placed him on the credit side of history and he will continue to remain a reference point when the subject of discourse is good governance.”
For sometime now, there have been some defections from APC to PDP. Is Prince Alao worried. Will this trend affect the electoral fortunes of APC in 2015 and 2016?
Responding to these questions, Prince Alao smiled, gritted his teeth, and releasing a punch into the air as a gesture of confidence and optimism, he declared “PDP has no foothold in Edo State. The defections are a mere storm in a teacup. APC is still intact, unshaken and unshakeable. The party will win future elections because Oshiomhole has done much for the state and he is widely appreciated and acknowledged by the electorate – they are those that matter in electoral contest not politicians who are driven by obvious instincts of self-interest and self-gratification. Those that have defected to the PDP ought to know that good governance is defined by dividends of democracy which Oshiomhole has given the people bountifully.”
What are these dividends of democracy?
“Edo State under Oshiomhole has been turned around. From unprecedented massive road reconstruction to rehabilitation and rebuilding of decayed infrastructures in public schools the Comrade Governor has redefined development and politics as instrument of service to the people.”
In politics and social engineering what is important to the people is performance. To what extent are government policies impacting positively on the people. These are important questions. Oshiomhole’s performance is so far reaching that the people have come to accept him as the dependable hub around which their expectations revolve. Those of us who are in APC today are the authentic members of the party. Those decampees have no ideological convictions and do not have the sincerity to key into the progressive ethos of the Oshiomhole phenomenon. That is what has happened.
Generally speaking, carpet – crossing cannot be described as morally uplifting and it cuts across political parties in Nigeria. How do we stop this trend of politicians moving back and forth in pursuit of self-interest?
Well, it is true carpet-crossing cannot be described as an ennobling act but those of us that moved to Oshiomhole were attracted to his progressive tendencies nurtured over his many years in labour activism and pro-democracy struggles.
And he has not disappointed us neither has his performance fallen short of popular expectations. So, we have decided to remain with him because of what he represents in the present struggle for a better and brighter future for Edo State and its people.
Whereas we were ideologically driven in our desire to work with the Comrade Governor, what we are witnessing today is that anytime stomach politics is threatened, some politicians chicken out. There are politicians who are driven by a passion for stomach politics and self-interest and when political permutations seem to whittle their desire, they come up with all manner of excuses to defect.
Since Oshiomhole’s 2nd term will terminate in 2016, do you think there can be another highly marketable politician like him for APC to field in the guber race?
The truth is that the Oshiomhole is one in a million. Such people come once in a while. But he has trained some people. There are disciples who have learnt from him.
It is true that Oshiomhole has the capacity to do what others cannot do. And there is no doubt that there are credible people in APC whose immersion in the Comrade Governor’s progressive politics have prepared them to continue from where he would stop. And I can assure you that whoever he supports and backs in the 2016 polls will emerge victorious, Edo is endowed with credible people.
What is your advise to Edo people?
They should ‘shine their eyes” they must think and remember where they were before the comrade governor came in. They should continue to support the comrade governor and ensure that APC clears all the seats in Edo House of Assembly in 2015 elections’.
Has work slowed down on the rehabilitation of schools?
Work is ongoing. There are one hundred and twenty six (126) projects and they comprise construction, reconstruction and procurement of furniture for primary schools in the three senatorial districts.
We are poised to actualize the social economic agenda initiated by the present administration to tackle the infrastructural decay in the education sector. We will not compromise standard in the execution of projects and contractors who fail to execute jobs to specification will be blacklisted.
Let’s come back to 2015 and 2016 polls in Edo State what is your assessment of APC’s chances?
I had told you earlier that Oshiomhole’s name, the good work he has done which is highly appreciated by the people will give victory to the APC. The opposition propaganda against the governor and his government is hollow and cannot in anyway affect our performance at the polls.
APC will win because the Comrade Governor has recorded groundbreaking achievements that will sell the party. APC is people-driven. Victory at the polls is a forgone conclusion.
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