From ABUSOMWAN PETER, Benin
THE running mate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Edo State, Mr John Yakubu, has informed Esan people that the state governor, Adams Oshiomhole in November last year wrote the Federal government to stop awarding two erosion control contracts in Edo Central.
He said if the people of the zone were desirous of development, the APC and all that is connected with the party including Governor Oshiomhole and the party’s governorship candidate, Godwin Obaseki, must be rejected at the September 10governorship election.
Yakubu was speaking at the palace of the traditional ruler in Ogwa, Esan west local Government Area of the state when the state chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih led the party’s gubernatorial campaign train to seek the royal blessings.
The former chairman of the Esan northeast local council, reading a letter dated November 11 2015 from the Edo state government said the Federal government was told by Oshiomhole to stop the Uhen and Ibore erosion control projects because he was not consulted about them and that they are not of priority.
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According to Yakubu, “The office of the Secretary to the Federal Government had through the office of Ecological fund placed the advertisement in the Punch national daily of the said November 11 2015 asking qualified contractors to send pre-qualification tenders for the two erosion control projects”.
He said the state governor wrote to the federal government in paragraph 2 of his letter saying that, “the advertisement came to me as a surprise as no one consulted me on which of the gully erosion sites is of priority”.
Amplifying Yakubu’s submissions from the copy of the letter which he later presented to HRM Vincent Ehizojie 11, the traditional ruler of Ogwa, the PDP governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu said it is ironic that a government which claims to love Esanland like Oshiomhole’s would descend to such extent.
“in paragraph 5 of the letter the governor said ‘it will be highly appreciated if the Secretary to the Federal Government will authorize the stoppage of the projects as they were not brought to the attention of the Edo state government’, Ize-Iyamu read.
He said from the letter it is obvious that the All Peoples Congress and Governor Adams Oshiomhole do not have good plans for Edo central despite claims to the contrary. Ize-Iyamu who also presented additional copies of his contract with Edo People titled ‘simple agenda’ to the traditional ruler appealed to the people of Ogwa and Ujiogba to rally support for the PDP to gain victory at the polls on September 10 2016because the party is people-centre.
The governorship candidate said, “Our state is not a poor state, when we look at the fact that we are an agro-based state with solid minerals potential; what has been lacking is a governor with the fear of God and sees the entire state as his constituency”.
In his response after welcoming the PDP delegation to his palace, Zaiki Ehozojie said the PDP’s choice of governorship candidate and his running mate is complete adding, ” you are tested politicians; we know your antecedents and with a complete team, we are sure you will get victory”.
He concluded, “Power belongs to God but he uses men as instruments in achieving his goals but you must work to the best of your ability and leave the rest to him”, adding that , “God will give you the good health and wherewithal and the wisdom to get to your destination”.