Political tension in Edo has taken another turn as loyalists of former Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, have vowed to stop the third term bid of Senator Francis Alimikhena, while urging the former Governor to contest for the Edo North Senatorial seat.
The group which met under the Platform of the South South Movement, Edo North chapter, told journalists on Wednesday that the incumbent National Assembly member has not met the aspiration of the people to deserve another shot at the senate.
Led by the former Executive Director, Ministry of Lands and Survey and Deputy Director of the group, Mustapher Buddy; and APC chieftain, Vitalis Eshokene, the group said that most of the projects executed by Alimikhena are merely ‘ceremonial’ in nature and not functional.
Eshokene, who spoke on behalf of the group said, “In my Etsako East Ward 9 and 10, the boreholes are ‘ceremonial’ because they cease to function after inauguration.
“He has boasted that the few individuals he has empowered would take him to the senate for the third term.
“We don’t have a problem with him giving Greek gifts to a few individuals in the name of empowerment. What we are saying is that he has failed to meet the collective interest of our people.
“He (Alimikhena) was a principal member of the Senate in his first term and there was no significant project he attracted to the area with this position. Look at what Prof Julius Ihonvbvere is doing in Owan federal Constituency with laudable people’s oriented projects.
“We are saying this because we hear he is telling people that he will be a principal member if he should be given another opportunity. For us, he has had his chances and failed to use it for the betterment of the district.
“To change this narrative is why we are routing and already mobilising for Oshiomhole to come replicate what he did as the governor in the area.
“People may want to say it is not the same thing being a governor and a senator, but experiences have shown that Oshiomhole sees the people as the center point of his policies.
“We are not just talking, we are already working the talk by mobilising fund both for the campaign and buying of the form for the former governor who has done a lot for not just people of Edo North senatorial district, but the entire State.
“We no longer want a sleeping senator , we want a working senator.”
However, aide to the Senator, Ben Atu, said those accusing the senator are political outsiders. He said they were paid merchants and jobbers who have no idea of the development profile of the Senator in Edo North.
He said, “These people who are against the Senator are neither from Edo State nor from Edo North. It is only people from Edo North that can speak for the area.
“Those paid merchants from other states who are organising a press conference to abuse the Senator should come for a two-week development tour.
“The Senator is offering to personally take them for a tour. On the issue of boreholes that have stopped functioning, the fact that these critics admit that boreholes exist in the first place means that they are indeed ignorant of their claims.
“They are paid to criticise and they fail on their job by not doing proper research before criticising.”
