The Sun News On-line

Listening to the new governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, inspires hope in a land where people have become despondent and cynical as a result of failure of governance. The former frontline labour leader who battled for 19 months to get back his stolen mandate is, indeed, a man to watch in this political dispensation.

Let those amending our constitution prevent this shame of stolen mandate by ensuring that all electoral disputes are disposed off before elected candidates are sworn into office.
Having fought this long before regaining his mandate, Oshiomhole has joined the ranks of Governors Peter Obi of Anambra State and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, who instead of resorting to self help relied on the judiciary for justice.

At the swearing-in ceremony in Benin-City, last week, Oshiomhole wants to remain the people’s governor hence he does not want all the bogus titles that people associate with political office in this country. Preferably, he would like to be addressed as Mr. Governor or Comrade Governor.

His simple appearance at the occasion demonstrated that Oshiomhole is in love with his trademark khaki attire that endears him to the ordinary people in the society. He assured that those working with him should be in simple attires too, as they would, most of the time be in the field working for the people. His branded khaki is gaining followers because many of his supporters that came for the swearing-in-ceremony appeared in simple khaki attires.

Judging by his recent pronouncements, it appears that Oshiomhole is in a hurry to deliver democracy dividends for which the Edo people voted him to power on April 14, 2007. The Edo people having been denied 19 months of good governance, which the usurpers of power wasted, Oshiomhole is set to put the state government machinery on full speed because the people are yearning for the benefits of democracy, which they have laboured with the governor to defend. He wants to restore Edo’s lost glory in almost all sectors.

There is still hope because Oshiomhole has four years to deliver to the people his campaign promises. He should, therefore, settle down on the job and make the expected difference. I am not ruling out challenges. I believe he can surmount them in the fullness of time. Judging from where he is coming from, Oshiomhole is going to make a great difference as a governor.

His governance will profit from both the Marxist and Capitalist praxis. I believe that taking the best attributes of these two great economic divides will enrich our democracy. He has been with the workers, he knows their problems and I think that he has the answers to the people’s problems. But only time will prove him right or otherwise. A regime that caters for the basic needs of the populace is what Edo and many states need in Nigeria. They want a government they can trust and identify with.

Listening to Oshiomhole’s recent exclusive interview on African Independent Television (AIT) reminds me of the message of hope of the President-elect of the United States, Barack Obama. Throughout the duration of the interview, Oshiomhole was at his best elements inspiring hope and giving details of what his government will achieve for the people of Edo State.

I am particularly fascinated by the simplicity and clarity of his messages, often laced with pidgin, the language of the ordinary people in Nigeria, especially in a state that has many languages. He did not left his listeners in doubt that he is going to demystify governance. With Oshiomhole, there will be nothing esoteric with governance. It will no longer be cultic or exclusive to certain privileged individuals. It would no longer be ‘we’ and ‘them’.

The alienation between the ruler and the ruled will no longer exist. I understand what he meant by opening up of governance. He wants to run a transparent and an all-inclusive administration that will at the same time tolerate genuine opposition. This is, perhaps, the first time I am hearing in Nigeria that a sitting governor will tolerate the opposition. In some states in Nigeria, those who offer genuine criticisms are branded as the enemies of the state and treated as such. In these states, the opposition is a vandal that must be haunted and excluded from governance.

To him, government will cease to be a cult thing that some people have, out of ignorance or mischief or both, made it to be. His cabinet will go beyond party leanings and recruit eligible Edo indigenes that will work to ensure that the people get the dividends of democracy. Above all, the government will be people-oriented in its approach to governance.

His government will be answerable to the people that voted him to power. Oshiomhole wants to work with technocrats, tested ones at that. This will sound stupid to those used to giving such appointments to their party lap dogs and praise singers that abound in Nigerian politics. But Oshiomhole will not tolerate such. Take the samples. His commissioner for education must be an educationist and not a party loyalist. He must know his onions and be well grounded in educational matters. He must be at home with philosophical, psychological and sociological issues that shape education. His commissioner for works must be a reputable engineer who is knowledgeable in his field and not necessarily a friend of the party’s chieftain or tin god.

Thank God that his administration will have no room for godfatherism. Though, there will be respect for elders, the AC government in Edo State will not tolerate any form of godfathers or fathers of the party as we have in some other states in the country.
As a former labour leader, he knows what drives poverty and crimes and would do all in his power to tackle the root causes of the twin disease that affect the country. His government will create at least ten thousand jobs in the first few months of its existence. How can Oshiomhole achieve this ambitious job creation drive?

He said that there are jobs for all Nigerians. I agree with him on that. People will be employed to keep the environment clean. Instead of concentrating resources on the police to combat crimes, Oshiomhole will rather deplore part of the state resources to create jobs for people to work for the state according to their expertise. But, that does not mean that he will not support police in the war against crime. He is going to get the statistics of the unemployed in the state with a view of determining the areas they will fit in. Tackling poverty and unemployment is indirect way of combating crimes.

If Oshiomhole’s pronouncements are any thing to go by, then a silent revolution has commenced in Edo State that will change the face of governance in the country. A government that knows why it is in power is what many Nigerians are waiting for. A government that will attend to the welfare of the people is what Nigerians are yearning for. Nigerians are looking for a government that will have zero tolerance to corruption and improve the social welfare of workers and the unemployed.

With Oshiomhole in Edo State, the looting centres that our local councils have become in recent times will be a thing of the past. To Oshiomhole, the local governments must work. There will be no room for the looting of the treasury. The education sector under Oshiomhole will receive big boost as he is going to revamp public school system with a view to making them efficient and productive.

Let all the arms of government in Edo State stand with Oshiomhole to achieve the aims of his government irrespective of party affiliations. And I believe that the opposition will work with the governor in the overall interest of Edo people that voted them to power. If it can work in Anambra State and some other states, I have no doubts whatsoever that it will work in Edo.

With Oshiomhole in the saddle, an Obama is a possibility in Nigeria. But that could only be possible if Oshiomhole lives up to people’s expectations. Right now, all eyes are in Edo State because of the coming to power of Oshiomhole and what he intends to do to his people. This is wishing him all the best in this great assignment. No doubt, his success would positively rub-off on Nigerian politics.