| Monday & Asue. |
Democracy and politics are two interesting engagements
where citizens are allowed to flourish their interest and choices in a free and
fair manner. One of the PDP Campaigners on a platform I belonged had challenged
me to market my candidate Senator Monday Okpebholo to him, instead of
complaining about Godwin Obaseki and his godson, Asue Ighodalo.
He was saying it cynically as though I would be helpless
in churning out the credentials of Akpakomiza, but he was shocked by my
submissions, and by the time I finished, I didn’t hear “PIM” from him
again. Here are my submissions on Senator Monday Okpebholo:
SENATOR MONDAY OKPEBHOLO.
A thoroughbred Nigerian who has respect for elders and
the young ones. Easily accessible, kind and unassuming. His subliminal humility
is palpable. Not quarrelsome and combunctious. Not combative and bombastic. He
was nurtured back home, travelled to Jos in search for greener pastures.
He was able to make meaning in life by getting involved
in computer sales and services. He later made sure he completed his education
by acquiring a University Degree. He was a close confidant of Late Chief Tony
Anenih and stood by the late sage till death. Monday is loyalty personified. He
shoulders a lot of responsibilities for people who are at the lower rung of the
ladder. His humble up-bringing always nudging him on to serve the people.
Senator Monday Okpebholo came out from nowhere to
dislodge Senator Clifford Ordia, of the PDP power oligarchy in Edo Central
Senatorial District. His moniker; AKPAKOMIZA, resounded across Esan land to the
surprise of those sit-tight PDP monologues.
He criss-crossed the Senatorial District and trounced
Clifford Ordia with political bruises all over the former’s face. Senator
Okpebholo broke into the fortress of PDP’s stronghold in Edo Central and led
his people out of a party that had detained her progress by sit-tight
representatives. As a private individual, he has built roads, provided several
boreholes across many communities, and built schools while renovating some.
He continues to give scholarship to many Esan students,
bought many vehicles to support Esan Security Network, and became part and
parcel of the aspirations of the people. He is familiar with the terrain, call
him a son of the soil, with original native name ;Okpebholo, not AKINTUNDE, he
has earned the recognition of being the Asiwaju of Esanland.
Senator Monday Okpebholo is an ELECTABLE material whose
humility is infectiously woven around good neighbourliness. As my neighbour for
six years in Abuja, you cannot fault Monday where respect, candour, humaneness,
selfless service, loyalty are involved. These were the attributes Late Chief
Tony Anenih saw in him that he practically called him; “my son”.
My first close contact with Chief Tony Anenih was in Senator
Okpebholo’s House. And till date, Monday is not only proud to have associated
with this great Leader, he has the Late Chief’s portrait at the ante room once
you stepped your feet into his humble home. Monday is genuinely concerned about
the plights of Edo people and the hardship that Governor Obaseki has brought
upon them.
He laments every day, but he told me, “please join
me to uproot these economic predators out of Edo state”. Aside from being
a man with emotional intelligence, his ability to fix problems by proffering
solutions is legendary. Smooth talking with uncommon suave, people mistake his
calmness and shyness to mean he can’t articulate issues in a most fecund
manner.
How laughable. How can anyone imagine that an elected
Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria won’t be able to discharge himself
creditably well in the 10th Senate? Aside from being the number one political
leader in Esanland, he’s at home with all; youths, traditional rulers,
artisans, transport owners, drivers, hair dressers, students and many others.
He speaks with them in the native Esan language.
In summary, Senator Okpebholo is patriotic, humane,
kindhearted, humility personified, calm and unassuming. He’s a man who is ever
ready to sacrifice for the people. He has ran a successful business in the
telecom sector to the admiration of all. His gigantic office in Area 3, Abuja
tells the story even better.
He won’t plant hatred in the minds of the people like the
current PDP leaders in the state who are quarrelsome and always fighting. Edo
people, young and old will find him very prepared to lead them out of the
present leadership quagmire such that even the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo is
running away from his godfather, Governor Obaseki.
ASUE IGHODALO.
The first thing his supporters will tell you is that, the
man can speak Queen’s English very well, that’s why he uses interpreters
whenever he wants to connect with his people. When he addressed his traditional
rulers, he used an interpreter. When he spoke to leaders of thought, he used
interpreter.
There is no connection with the people. When he was
contacted to contribute to Esan Security Network, it was alleged by an insider
that he contributed N100k, compared to Okpebholo’s many vehicles and millions
which he invested in the security network. Perhaps he didn’t know there would
be a time when he would be needing his people’s support.
A stranger to Edo state by every consideration, he’s the
type that visits his hometown once in 10 years, using the modest home built by
his parents as point of reference. As a speaker of Queen’s English and Adviser
to Governor Obaseki, I was told he was the one who told the Governor to
demolish the State Library for Shoprite. Everything na business, profit and
loss account.
One of his supporters declared that a new Library is
located inside the shopping mall. Wonders shall never end. Putting a Library in
a market place, na wa for AKINTUNDE oh, all these Lagosians. They call him AI-
Artificial Intelligence; no wonder there is no originality in him. For five
good years, Ekpoma section of the Benin-Auchi Road was bad, Asue Ighodalo could
not advise his boss, Governor Obaseki to fix it.
As soon as they saw Senator Okpebholo brought in the
Minister for Works to start the repairs, ooh, they are now running
“kati-kati-kati” to claim credit. He’s also joining Governor Obaseki
to kill Ambrose Alli University, Professor Alli’s legacy in Esanland. Comedians in government House. Chai! Diaris
God oooh.
Until Asue decided to run for Governor, he didn’t know
where Ugboha in Esan was located. He didn’t know Igarra, in Akoko-edo or
Ikpeshi or Atte. I was told he was thoroughly embarrassed when he saw the road
between Otuo and Agor during his familiarisation tour. And even the one between
Iruekpen and Ora.
At some point, he threatened to pull out seeing the level
of dissonance against the government of Godwin Obaseki. Asked about how he
found his way to PDP, he gave the credit to Chief Solomon Aguele, his Uncle,
and not Godwin Obaseki, his boss. How do you now compare such a person, an
AKINTUNDE to an OKPEBHOLO, when election in Edo is involved?
My conclusion is that, Monday Okpebholo as a Senator is
an ELECTABLE material, while Asue Ighodalo will be better off as an APPOINTABLE
material.