‘No friction between Obaseki and Oshiomhole’

Former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Edo State Hon Lucky James spoke with OSAGIE OTABOR on the alleged friction between Governor Godwin Obaseki and his predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the preparations for next year’s elections by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other partisan issues.

How prepared is the Edo State APC for next year’s general elections?

Preparation for the election are in different stages because we started preparation right from the day we won the election. We knew what the people need. In Edo, you can see that we are preparing for the election because whatever the former governor Oshiomhole like a bulldozer did Obaseki is consolidating like a grader. The bulldozer will make more noise in pulling down structures but all the structures are now being made to work. We earlier concentrated on dual carriage ways but now we are doing interior roads and people are appreciating it. The projects are quietly done. That is preparation. At the national level, it was the same thing when Oshiomhole was planning here, people thought he was doing nothing. The federal government is looking at areas being neglected like agriculture. The president is putting things right.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo said it is waiting for the presidential election. The APC is aware of the default of the PDP and that is what they will avoid. Things like internal democracy and imposition would be avoided. Look at how quietly the local government election was done and you can see that the APC is avoiding all the pitfalls of the PDP. Though, all is not well in the APC, but marginally, we are moving on. Senator Owie said he is waiting to harvest APC members into the ADP because of Governor Obaseki style

There will be nobody to harvest to other parties from the APC. APC in Edo is intact. If he is talking about taking care of party leaders, Obaseki got a job to do. He has a lot of infrastructure to smoothen out as the grader after Oshiomhole. The party, people will be taken care of because they will be part of the process. The governor is looking at areas, where he can empower the people. He has studied the process very well and I am sure in the next few months, you will see the actual results. I am aware it is not possible to satisfy everybody. Whether you give people the whole treasury in government house, they will still complain.

The APC government has not resolve herdsmen attack. Will it not affect it success in 2019 election?

Herdsmen killing is not a new thing. It has continue from previous administrations except that the scale has widened. Government should put in more measures to check the killings.

There are complaints by the APC leaders that Obaseki is yet to release appointments into boards and committees.

I was a local government chairman. It is better to explain to them than to appoint people and not be able to pay. If Obaseki put all the numerous boards in place, the same people will come and complain that the boards are not being serviced. Let the man take it pace by pace. This is not the issue of boards appointment, it is about being able to service them. You can see that more schools are built, roads are in place and the peaceful business environment in the state is on course. I am sure Obaseki has a plan for those who were previously in one service or the other. The business people will tell you the environment is now okay. Obaseki is here not to satisfy party members alone, but the state. We know we are in the party that is in power. Again, election day will show the  records if the PDP has harvest anybody.

Is it true there is a friction between Obaseki and Oshiomhole?

That is a figment of their imagination. They are saying many things. At a time, they said I have fallen out with Oshiomhole. They had wished a friction between Obaseki and Oshiomhole but, it is not there. Obaseki is a perfect follower. I am close to Oshiomhole and he has never complain. He told me he will leave governance to Obaseki and anywhere he needs him, he will give advice and move on. For the party, he will provide the leadership. People expected him to have an office in government house but, that he will not do. They expect that everything Obaseki is doing should be determined by Oshiomhole. If you call Oshiomhole for anything, he will not give answer but, insisted on hearing from the governor.

How was it like working with Oshiomhole?

Oshiomhole is a very nice person. He opens argument. He will listen and argue with you. He is not somebody who will take your advice as you say it. He will have to examine it. Once he found you fit and proper, he does not have problem with you. He is not a one man leader. He listen to various shades of opinion. Somebody almost abuse it. He was open to everybody. Where he makes mistakes, he will admit. Because of his background, he puts himself at the level of the downtrodden. He is from the smallest village in Etsako. He is not from a too rich family and always sympathic to people.

Are you still interested in contesting elections?

Anywhere the people wish me to go, I am not sure I will have any objection because it is the people you are going to serve. If they call me, I have to look at it, if there will be no clashes and the leadership agrees I will go for it. I have never on my own said I want this, it is the people that always yearn for me. From when I was a teacher to a council chairman. I am not the one that will push. It is the people that will say it is my turn. That is what inform my political decision. The right thing must be done. Some people know that it is not their turn but they will insist. When Oshiomhole was in power for eight years, I ensure I did not push beyond my bounds because Oshiomhole and I are from the same ward. What will I do that the governor will not be able to do? If there is any particularly calling and it agrees with the leadership that I should be there, I go for it.

 

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