Oshiomhole and the social contract with Edolites

By Paul Arhewe


Governor Oshiomhole standing in queue to cast his vote in Edo state



The Edo State governorship elec-tions held on July 14, 2012, has since left in its trail a victor and a vanquished. Incumbent Governor Adam Oshiomhole triumphed over his closest rival, Major General Charles Airhiavbere (retd) of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), in what observers dubbed the ‘most one-sided electoral contest’ in Edo political history. The clear victory of ACN received enthusiastic responses even from people outside the state. Social media were awashed with commentaries from thousands of applauders and cen-surers.

My congratulations to Comrade Governor Oshiomhole for a well deserved victory.
The Oba of Benin, His Royal Highness Omo n’Oba n’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Solomon Igbinoghodua Aisiokuoba Akenzua Erediauwa I, had captured the endorsement of the incumbent governor for a second term thus: “You have cleaned up the roads not only in Benin Kingdom but in several other towns. The last time you came I prayed through our ancestors for you to come back and complete the work and also do more for Edo people”.
So the victory of the ACN candidate was settled even before the July 14 elections.

That election has confirmed President Goodluck Jonathan as a rare statesman and true national leader. He was among the first to send goodwill and congratula-tory messages to victorious Oshiomhole. While lamenting his party’s loss, Mr. President had reiterated his stance that he would not use federal might against opposition parties.


Indeed, Nigerians need more of such non-partisan assurances from their leaders. They are what we need to nurture and nourish our bur-geoning democracy.Victory gyrations should be over now, I think it is time for serious business.
Edo people have spoken through the ballot box; they have played their part of the social contract bargain. It is now left for Oshiomhole to fulfill his side of the contract.

He must ensure that he accomplishes more of what made the people to endorse his second term.

It is becoming a norm in this part of the world, where politicians who are elected for second term tend to relax in delivering on expected promises.
In some quarters, the argument is that Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, is now a slumbering leader; a far cry from his commendable and laudable per-formance during his first tenure.

This assertion maybe wrong, but it is somewhat tempting that a second term leader who has nothing at stake, may want to selfish-ly use this period to lord it around rather than meeting the needs of the people, as promised during political campaigns.
In a previous article in this column titled, ‘The votes of Edo electorate must count’ and published on June 5, 2012, I wrote: “I urged politicians in the state to respect the wishes of the people and this should be seen as supreme”.

In that article I argued that politicians’ campaigns should be issues-based and not person-ality-based with overconcentration on what would give them cheap publicity. Now that the elections are over, explicit execution of those issues- based promises is paramount.

Anything short of this would be a disservice to the conscience and reputation of the leader.
The former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Pally Iriase, has assured that Oshiomhole would deliver on his campaign promises.

“The Comrade Adams Oshiomhole that I worked with will never renege in his promise to even do more in his second tenure”.
I will only say time will definitely tell and prove him right or wrong.
The votes of Edo electorate must have counted and given him his heart desire; he must not betray the trust of the people.
The voting pattern in the last elections indeed showed that the electorate are apt in clinging more to the candidate that they believe in and not unnecessary pandering to ethnic sentiments.
Oshiomhole got 90 percent of Benin votes; 80 percent of the votes from his Afemai people.
This near absolute support from the people would only be compensated when the governor outperform his first term feat.

The governor has vowed before the Be-nin monarch that the development of the state would not be compromised.

“I want to assure your majesty that we will ensure that the great Benin Kingdom witness accelerated development in order to restore the glory of the kingdom”, was how he put it.

The people would only wish that this promise is fulfilled, not only to the people of Benin Kingdom, but to all the ethnic sub nationalities that make up the state.

Four years from now the good work Oshiomhole would have accomplished will sufficiently burnish his CV so much that Nigerians would endorse him for a higher national office. So he should know that the whole of Nigeria is watching him.