I can tell from posts and ipse dixits of some of the factional PDP members who are also members of a WhatsApp platform on which I am, that they are still patently bitter over their loss at the 2024 gubernatorial election. During the Tribunal, Appeal and Supreme Court stages of the electoral litigations, they produced a lot of political theatrics, evincing deliberate, orchestrated manipulations in a bid to hoodwink the undiscerning. In their deliberateness, lies were promoted to comic heights; propaganda, name-calling and insults became the ultimate elixir for their bruised egos. Okpebholo, trounced them in a merciless manner at all the stages of the disputation. After the final death knell sounded at the lowering of the gavel of the Supreme Court, the deafening silence on that platform was resounding and reverberating. I could feel their pain and agony. They were forced to face the stark reality that the man they had collectively denigrated was to be their Governor for the next four years! Some of them cried profusely, some relocated from the state, but others decided to remain, pretending to be asleep while Governor Okpebholo took the mantle of leadership. For those who are yet to recover from that defeat, and are still agonizing, and reeling in pains like a man being sawed apart with a blunt scalpel, I say, take heart.
Also, on that same platform, I read comments by some PDP renegades that I, Kassim Afegbua, have been chased out of the media space by one inchoate, good-for-nothing, Albert Obazee. It’s quite funny, and I sympathize with their vainglorious position; ordinarily I wouldn’t stoop so low to respond to such odious vermin, as a thorough-bred PR professional; but this time, l’ll vary my behavior. It is my prerogative to be silent over inanities and frivolities orchestrated by social media urchins, as I deem fit. In addition, currently, I do not possess that luxury of time to engage in talking about dots in the scheme of things. I just don’t have the facility at this time to engage urchins, with all that I have in front of me? I am silent, because I’m busy even with my mouth, cleaning up the mess they built up in their time. They left no legacy to encourage anyone’s mind to go into reverie. The status quo before this government kicked off, was a mess. Godwin Obaseki and his cohorts are a complete disgrace!! The resuscitation work on ground is hefty and hectic; so, I am hard at it. I hope this satisfies their curiosity.
What they didn’t do, and or failed to do, Governor Okpebholo is doing, and he needs people to join him at this task. I am busy working WITH HIM; working and providing timely solutions to Edo’s inherited challenges. Recently, former Governor Obaseki was making noise about the decision to interrogate Radisson Hotel and MOWAA. How is it, that he didn’t steal the chance to comment about the rot he left behind: bad roads, dilapidated health sector, crippled civil service, decayed infrastructure, rotten schools, indeed the state fell flat in his hands. Okpebholo has increased the internally generated revenue from N5.5b monthly where he met it, to N10billion monthly. He’s almost completing a Fly-Over at Ramat Park, he has commenced another one at Adesuwa Junction, he’s also fixing the bad Sapele Road. Even the road leading to Obaseki’s ancestral home, has been fixed by Okpebholo. Most abandoned schools in the heart of Benin have been fixed. What Okpebholo has achieved in one year, is light years ahead of what former Governor Obaseki covered in eight years. In a publication produced by Obaseki’s saxophonist, Crusoe Osagie, the quantity and quality of lies documented, tells a story of deliberate falsehood generously advertised to cover up a regime of underperformance. Day by day, a larger proportion of their followers have emptied into the APC’s defection bags as they are not blind to the new narrative of performance across the state.
From Edo North down to Edo South, Okpebholo has made a huge impact in infrastructural renewal and overhaul. Every stride in his stellar performance strips them of any accolades they had stolen by artful means. Edo people are not as credulous as they thought. Governor Okpebholo says, “let our work speak for us.” And so shall it be. He has recovered schools, roads, hospitals, civil service, and revitalized social development aspect of our lives. He has improved security across the state, invested heavily in the security architecture and logistics, and continues to reinforce the provisions. While they may not like the face of Governor Okpebholo, they cannot fault his stellar performance in all that he has chosen to do; in any case, if they handled Obaseki’s face, Okpebholo should be rated beautiful! His approach is not verbose, his demeanor is not standoffish, his conduct is not about bragging, but his delivery of set targets is eternally on point. He doesn’t flex his muscles as a domineering Governor peculiar to his predecessor; he’s engaging, kindhearted, a problem solver and humane mind with subliminal humility. He is keeping his promises.
Members of the opposition and their coupon clippers would have to grapple with the new reality in Edo state: a new Sheriff has taken over the mantle of leadership through a popular mandate of Edo people. Lamentations, shedding of tears, condemnations and deliberate acts of mischief will not derail this government from delivering on its mandate for the overall good of the people. To those apostate members of the factional PDP who cannot swallow their pride and queue up in the APC, I say, go back to your work! Go back to your professions. We are busy working. We don’t need your distractions in any form or shape. When students rioted in Ekpoma, they were shocked at the proactive intervention the Governor gave to nip the crisis in the bud. The Governor recalibrated the whole plot into edible sound bites to the consternation of his political opponents. He applied the carrot and stick approach, struck the right chord, and embraced with the other hand while counseling students to be of good behaviour. Ekpoma is at peace, the state is at peace. And his intervention continues to generate commendations from those who mean well for the state. Rebuilding a new Edo has remained the vision and there is no going back.
