I read the remonstrance of Governor Godwin Obaseki to the House of Representatives committee members on NDDC yesterday when they visited him in Government house and his intention to sue NDDC contractors who executed substandard roads in Edo State. The Governor profusely lamented that the Commission has spent about N20Billion in constructing substandard roads in Edo State and his desire to sue the contractors for executing substandard roads in Edo State.
Before I continue, let me quickly enter a caveat, this article is not aimed at defending anybody or justifying the execution of any substandard projects in Edo by NDDC if actually true, but the need to expose the real political and vindictive intention of the Governor and his hypocritical approach to issues.
The cry of the Governor is not only laughable, hypocritical but a diversionary tactics aimed at eschewing liability and the further condemnation of substandards roads he has constructed in Edo State by the People. The intention of the Governor is to save him self of the shame and embarrassment the poor roads he constructed as caused his Government due to public outcry by smartly trying to divert the blame to NDDC . No one should be carried away by his public protest against the NDDC projects or see it a patriotic display of his love for Edo State and our People but a disguised attempt at destroying the character of the immediate past Commissioner representing Edo State, Hon. Saturday Uwuilekhue who is already rumoured to be one of the persons aspiring to contest against him in 2020. It is also a vindictive response to the fact that he has not still forgiven the NDDC Commissioner representing Edo State who decided to publish all NDDC projects in Edo State which Edo people thought were executed by Edo State Government. That was actually the denouement of all the whole matter which has now made Edo people to realise this Government has failed.
It is hilarious to hear that a Governor that has constructed the worse roads in Edo State that have been washed away by water in less than three months of their construction is complaining of poor NDDC projects and expressing his desire to sue them. This is a case of a king who stole a motorcycle, driving it to another village to pursue and arrest a man who was reported to have stolen a bicycle. In 2019 alone, the Edo State Ministry of Infrastructure has spent about N30billion to fix roads in Edo State, but all those have not only failed but have become worse, the Governor has not find it necessary to sue the contractors or even revoke their contracts, but the same Governor is planning to sue NDDC contractors for executing substandard roads. Seefor Projects in all parts of Edo State are substandard cosmetic works executed by contractors employed by Edo State Government and the Governor has not even find it necessary to issue them an ordinary query ,not to talk of taken any action against them. Close to N20billion have been spent on fixing all roads in GRA alone since this Government came on board, but none of those roads are still good because they are substandard works executed by the contractors. Interestingly, the Governor has made no comment on it but rather blowing hot on NDDC contractors.
If really true that the NDDC roads are substandard, the Governor should blame himself because he laid the foundation for the substandard roads in Edo State. During the era of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, we all saw the standard roads he constructed and all other Federal Government bodies followed the standard of roads he constructed and didn’t afford to do less. If as a Governor he has presided over a Government that has constructed the worse roads in the history of Edo State, what moral right does he have to question NDDC for allegedly constructing substandard roads in Edo State? They definitely took a clue from him. He should leave that criticism for other people to do. A Governor who has never find it necessary to take any action against all the contractors handling Edo State projects despite the public protest and outcry because the contractors are his friends from Lagos and Delta is threatening to sue NDDC contractors. This is a huge joke indeed. A Governor who has never find it necessary to inform us the cost of projects he executed is telling us the amount the NDDC has spent in executing projects.
Leadership is ability to lead by example. You cannot query or sanction a wrong doing as a leader when you have failed to do what is right. That is why even the bible said it in the book of 2nd Corinthians 10: 6 that one can only punish any act of disobedience when your own obedience is complete.
I RISE!
