- The time is NOW! Let’s vote out godfatherism from our system.
- Let’s stand tall against injustice and oppression.
- Edo is not Lagos!
The convener of #Owanprojects and a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) barrister Elabor Joe Agbebaku has said the forthcoming governorship election in Edo state would determine the future of the people.
Joe said in a statement obtained by The MANDY NEWS on Thursday that the option before Edo people is either to resist going into captivity forever or walking into it by taking the path of Lagos.
Read the statement below as its addresses ‘godfatherism’.
“As the election approaches each passing minute, we have to take out time to think deeply. If we can’t think for ourselves, we should for the future of our children, we should think for the future of our dear state, we should think of posterity and all that is coming with it.
We are in a very delicate and sensitive period in the history of our state, wherein very parlous precedence is about to be laid down, but it behoves on us to resist it or allow it.”
How do we allow the fate of everyone to be determined by the decision of few individuals in a state that is so blessed with intellectuals and people of reputable attributes? It is either we get it right now or never. Lagos is already swimming in it, Edo is next in line. This election is a determinant of our fate as a people.
The option before us is either to resist going into captivity forever or walking ourselves into it by taking the path of Lagos. This is the very reality at hand before us.”
Now, let’s travel to Lagos. In the build-up to the 2019 general election, Lagos had one of the best performing Governors in Nigeria, then boom! Everything started turning against the Governor.
Then came the song “he must go”. This came as a shock to those who were keeping track of his records and developmental strides in the state. On enquiry to know his sin or sins, it was reported that the godfather of the state was not satisfied with his performance and does not want him back as governor. Eventually, it ended that the Governor was not returned.”
This act engendered the obstruction of the government’s developmental plans and projects in the state. The incumbent Governor of the state has not been able to find his feet after spending a year in office. This is the effect of having an individual selfish against that of the state.
Only an enemy of a State would wish that to happen to his state.
Should we allow Edo to toe the line of Lagos? Should we sit back and watch one man decide our fate for us as a State? Should we allow one man to decide on who should be and not to the Governor of the State? Suffice to say that if all the questions are answered in the affirmative, the same man would wake up one day and declare that a cretin or muppet would rule over us. God forbids! We can’t allow that to happen, not in our time.”
The effect of a godfatherism factor in politics is telling on the State already. For instance, in Owan my constituency and some other constituencies of the State House of Assembly, the supposed members-elect were handpicked against the choice of the people.
After the election, they were instructed by the godfather not to join their colleagues to be sworn in and inaugurated, in the godfather’s attempt to command the loyalty of the House by all means. It has been more than a year now, those members-elect have not been sworn in, their respective constituencies have not been represented, the budget has been passed without them, appointments have been made without them, and all of that, just because of the factor of only one man, who wants to control everything and structure of the state.”
In Edo State today, we have a focussed Governor who has shown his developmental plans by virtue of his works and projects across the State. His developmental plan is now under threat from a man who has assumed the position of a mini-god.
He is working assiduously against the Governor’s re-election, to the extent of kneeling down to people and begging for support to attain his purpose, so petty.
Then one would be tempted to ask, what exactly is his interest in an election he is not contesting? Even the flag-bearer under his party has not gotten to that extent. Suffice to submit that his goal is to have the state submitted to his pocket.”
Therefore, this election should not just be about political party affiliation or membership; this is a fight for us all, for the future of our dear state. If we should allow this odiferous precedence to sustain in our state, posterity won’t be kind to us, our children won’t forgive us, indeed the future would be so disappointed. If we decide to be indifferent in the face of injustice and oppression, then we have taken sides with the oppressors.”
