By Ikhili Monday, EBALU, Benin City
As Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki concludes his “thank you” visit to all the 18 local government areas 11 months after the September 28, 2016 governorship election in the state, members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, have called on the governor to fulfill his “stomach infrastructure” promises.
Godwin Alabi, the Oredo local government area chairman of the party, made the call in his welcome address on Sunday during the “thank you” visit by the governor to the local government at Urhokpota hall in Benin-City.
“I want to thank the Governor for all that he has been doing in the state. But one thing i will not forget to talk about is stomach infrastructure for members. This is part of your electioneering promises to the members of the party in the state. I know with your able lieutenants and advisers that will be a thing of the past. Sir, I only tell you as a reminder”, he said.
Coincidentally, the state governor hails from Oredo local government area.
Recall that last month during the governor’s similar visit to Edo Central senatorial district, party faithful also expressed anger over alleged marginalization of the area under the leadership of the administration of the governor.
The aggrieved youths branded placards and T-shirts denounced the APC and its government in the state for paying lip service to their welfare.
They also lamented bad roads, lack of public utilities in the locality and blamed the party for orchestrating a political and economic ostracism of the Esan people, with particular reference to their communities.
The State chairman of the party, Anselm Ojezua and the deputy speaker of the State House of Assembly, Victor Edoror are from the local government.
Agitation for “stomach infrastructure” was also said to have dominated the governor’s similar visit to Esan South-East local government area of the Edo Central Senatorial district.
In his remark, the state chairman of APC, Anselm Ojezua noted that labourer is entitled to his wages.
Ojezua who called it political patronage, added that stomach infrastructure was much more obvious in politics than in any other venture.
“I also want to assure you that a laborer is entitled to his wages. Everybody knows that, and it is clear much more in politics than anything else. We have been patience for about one year and I can assure you that going into the next year you will begin to see and feel many things”, he added.
Reacting, the state governor, Godwin Obaseki assured the party members that he will fulfilled all the promises made during the governorship campaigns.
He added that no party member would benefit from political patronage if he failed to actively participate in unit and ward activities.
According to him, “I promised that every ward will have political appointee. So, everything I will do in government, I will do through the party. If you do not attend unit meetings, if you did not participate at the unit level or ward level, and if I want to give contract i will not give you.
“Everything I will do I will do through the party structure. You cannot be local chairman or ward councilor if you did not attend unit meetings. The party must be strong so that I can use the party to govern because without the party I am nothing.
“We are going to be giving a lot of patronage from now on but I will only do it through the wards. I want us to strengthen the party. Every month each organ of the party must meet and we are going to start registration of members later this month. We want to make sure that each unit has to bring in new members into the party.
“I am also here to assure you that every promise I made during the election I will fulfill them by the grace of God. Also to let you know that I have not forgot you. Now that things are getting better, I want to assure you that I will support those who supported me to get to office. I will give that support through the party structure”, he stated.
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