By PATRICK BIOSE

As the good people of Edo State gradually gravitate towards the governorship election of next year, many political observers- especially those inclined towards the media or have access to the media- have taken it upon themselves to become umpires on the onerous task of choosing a governor for our dear state.

It is more painful to see persons who are not abreast with the political developments of the state since its creation , even since the beginning of the present democratic dispensation in 1998 to just share any view on this burning matter because they want to be heard and attempt, albeit very unsuccessfully to dictate to the voting public the electoral value or not of governorship aspirants.

The question that readily comes to mind is what do these people want to achieve, especially now that Edo State is in dire need of  total over haul and repositioning to guarantee effective, functional and speedy dispensation of the dividends of democracy to the people through both human and infrastructural development?

And while political observers continue to name and project those likely to become governor of Edo State in 2024 it is very important to recognize and appreciate the sterling qualities  of a former Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Bright Omokhodion, who aptly fits into the kind of person the state urgently needs in 2024.

As a seasoned banker, Edo State Finance Commissioner, Director of the Edo State Liaison office, Edo State Legislator, Edo House of Assembly Speaker,  Executive Director and Vice Chairman of the Edo State Economic and Strategy team and a team player, he is prepared to use the best hands to move Edo State forward.

If you carefully scrutinize the traits of Rt. Hon Bright Omokhodion, you will notice that though he hails from Edo Central, having grown up in Edo South Senatorial District and over the years established a fraternal,  positive friendship with Edo North, makes him equiped to be able to adequately transcend all imaginary boundaries of partisanship and leverage on the ethno-cultural values of the heterogenous and homogeneous  people of the state.

One can recall that as Edo State  Commissioner for Finance and Budget under the Chief Lucky Igbinedion administration, Rt Hon Bright Omokhodion ensured a robust  management of the state’s resources to the extent that no single industrial dispute was registered.

Salaries, pensions, gratuities as well as other statutory financial commitments of the state government  including bursaries, Small and Medium Scale Business Development grants were disbursed to Edo People without impediments.

In fact, it is still an undisputable record today that his tenure had the last unhindered payments of gratuities to retirees of Edo  State civil and public service.

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Employments into the state’ s civil and public service had the best attention under the period Omokhodion was Commissioner for Finance and Budget

Many aged workers were ready to quit service because they were sure of immediate remuneration or payments of their disengagement benefits immediately after end of their patriotic duties to their motherlands.

The state government never forced people to retire over undue extension of service duration.

Employment of workers into the critical sectors such as  health, especially doctors, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, radiologist, and other health care providers , judiciary, education and agriculture were taken for granted .

One cannot recall at any time the other arms of government cried fowl over any undue withholding of its financial benefits or running costs because the man, Rt  Hon Bright Omokhodion, who managed the state’s resources was on top of job.

Having successfully ended his tenure as a financial czar in 2007  his people in Esan West Constituency thought it wise to elect Rt Hon Bright Omokhodion as their representative at the hallowed chambers of the Edo State House of Assembly, EDHA .

At the States House of Assembly, Rt Hon Bright Omokhodion did not become a bench warmer as he soon exhibited uncommon leadership qualities  amongst the honourable members who soon saw the huge benefits of letting a round peg in a round hole lead them as he was made the Speaker after the exit of late Barr Zakawanu Garuba.

The  emergence of Omokhodion as Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly gave a sudden structural  and  constructional foundational leap to the Comrade Governor, Senator Adams Oshiomole to move the state up from where former two time governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, stopped.

Suddenly, the Bills for road infrastructure, Red Roof Revolution in the education sector and renovation of health centres across the state and many others, begging for urgent attention, were speedily passed for  the executive to hit the ground running. This happened after almost two years of stagnation under the preceding Speaker, Barr Zakawanu Garuba, (not because of his ineptitude for he was also an erudite legislator, lawyer and politician), but having found himself in a  peculiar political tight corner became unable to look straight into the ensuing logjam and place the interests of Edo People above those of other political institution or persons.

Although Rt. Hon Bright Omokhodion was to pay an  unfortunate price for the bold, patriotic steps he took as Speaker as acrimonious opposition in his constituents misinterpreted his actions and mobilized against his re- election, progressives across the state and Nigeria who have researched into the resounding success of the Oshiomole administration are quick to discover that but  for the enthronement of Omokhodion by his colleagues  as Speaker, the ex- governor may have continued to fight and ward off stiff opposition through out his tenure, especially during the first tenure when some acclaimed godfathers held sway.

Even as Speaker, Omokhodion’ has remained a reference point in leadership as he did not witness any unwarranted impeachment or any such attempts at his desk.

That could only be made possible through an unbridled team spirit birthed by selfless and productive leadership.

Suffice it to say that budgetary Sessions at the Edo State  House of Assembly were not only  met to X -Ray and filter the Executive’s  abilities to maintain a high level of fiscal discipline but patriotic level of financial creativity while regular  rendering  of account of stewardship was compulsory tasks for all ministerial heads, government agencies and parastatals.

The House of Assembly under Rt. Hon Omokhodion was not only known for effective oversight functions but for its quickness to expose any undeclared  deliverables on project execution where  the Commissioners or Head of the government agencies in charge would  promptly face the sharp tongue of the “Comrade Governor” who would have gone to the project Site himself.

The hallmark of these giving details to state functions instead of laying back to enjoy the spoils of office are today what one is projecting in Rt Hon Bright Omokhodion to appeal to the Members of the All Progressive Congress, APC ,to give the mandate of the party to this patriotic Edo Son as candidate for the 2024 , governorship election.

A look at his projection to move  Edo State forward would reveal a carefully designed and neatly packaged objective which he has tagged “SMILES…”

The Rt Hon Bright Omokhodion “SMILES…” objective says

S…Socio-economic development.  Schools upgrading, health care for the young and aged, care homes, revamping of agro allied industries.

M…Manpower and skills development, civil service reforms.

I….. Infrastructure rejuvenation, bridges, flyovers and roads, urban upgrades, Public Private Partnership,

L …Living wages, and improved living standards, Leakage controls and Leadership by Objective.

E.. Egalitarianism, Equity, Equality   and Employment generation.

AND

S…Security and safety, law and order, Direct Foreign Investment The “SMILES…”  has also been domesticated into “HOUSING AND LIVING” where he says  a subset of infrastructural provisions cannot be over -emphasized.

As we await the revelation of the “SMILES VISION” 2024 in other sectors of the lives of Edo people, the Vision realizes that the future of Edo is in the hands of all Edo People.

Please let’s welcome Rt Hon Bright Omokhodion to the saddle of Leadership in 2024.

*Barrister Biose writes from Ezomo Street, Benin-City, Edo State

The Star