A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress(APC) has congratulated the new governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo and his deputy, Right Honourable Dennis Idahosa as they resume office.
Comrade Salihu Othman Isah, a former Special Adviser to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice said in a statement in Abuja that he had dreamt before the victory of the APC candidates that the two former legislators now leaders of the executive arm of their state, will spring the state to a higher pedestal in the country.
Isah opined that their emergence to the leadership of the State was a story of perseverance and patience.
He likened the new governor’s journey to the leadership of Edo State as only comparable to that of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the Nigerian presidency and the recent victory of Donald Trump of the United States of America.
“I dreamt that Okpebholo will re-engineer the decayed and rusty state left behind by the immediate past governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki who to me had a mission to bury the state.
“You can see he achieved nothing concrete for eight years except signing MoUs which were never transformed into reality.
“Obaseki came with a mission to decimated the camaraderie amongst Edolites and had no regards for anybody including those who worked assiduously for him to be elected in the first place.
“Those who helped him to office the first time, he pushed them aside when he assumed office. He picked up fights with individuals and institutions and occupied himself with controversies which distracted him from offering the desired leadership.
“And those who helped him get reelected, both internal and external influences, he fought them dirty and he was fulfilled doing that. Tell me. What manner of a leader is that?”
However, for the new governor, he came fully prepared and I hope he will learn from Obaseki’s mistakes and carry everyone along in the state.
Isah reminded the former governor that he should be prepared to account for his stewardship as he would be called upon to render account.
“But in the case of the former governor and his cronies, it is judgement day. They have to account for their stewardship. There is a time to assume office and a time to exit and render account to the people who trusted you with leadership.
It would be recalled that, already, the report of APC transition committee has indicted the outgone PDP leadership of misappropriating a whooping N420billion of state resources. He will do well to account for every Kobo spent by his administration.
Isah also a former Vice President of Actors Guild of Nigeria(AGN), the umbrella body of Nollywood described the new governor as focused, resilient and has capacity to deliver on the onerous task of governing the state, adding that he came fully prepared for render leadership.
According to Isah, who is also a Chairman, Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), “Okpebholo and Idahosa both have the capacity to deliver on their new task. They are was focused, deliberate and resilient as witnessed all through the journey to their new challenges. This is very manifest in them.
“Now that the governor have landed the job, he will exhibit these positive attributes. Whilst he occupy Osadebe Avenue, he can’t afford to fail”, Isah concluded.