Millions of Nigerians are daily fascinated with the different awful dances by the so-called G5 led by Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike moving around Nigeria and even the world to dance like uncouth masquerades in protests over loosing the PDP presidential ticket to Atiku Abubakar. To cover for their loss, the funny G5 governors dramatizes around claiming to be defending the South and Ethnic Minorities. But, he who cometh to equity, the Greek Goddess opined, must come with clean hands!
Aside Seyi Makinde of Oyo and Wike himself who make some claims to minimal governance, the rest three are empty shells whose states are the worst governed in the country as I type.
Abians have continually rated Governor Ikpeazu as a complete disaster in term of social and physical infrastructures, while lacking no iota of initiatives, leadership gamut, and honesty. It is also being acclaimed that Ikpeazu is a governor of vicious impunity.
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the popular “Gburugburu” of Enugu is as shallow as his nickname. A governor without directions, his endemic failure in the Coal City has rebirthed the rejected horrors of the former Governor Nnamani’s notorious “Ebeano” anti-people groupings.
Both Seyi and Wike themselves only make very heavy noises around storms in the tea cups developmental projects that they advertise to the world as “milestones.” In the past three months, all we hear and see on TV is Wike spending billions to hold large ceremonies to commission common “fly-overs!” Seyi too is a noisy lad who explores his popularity amongst the youths to build mythologies around his meagre achievements in Oyo State.
But my major concern today is about the most irresponsible of the G5; our own Samuel Ortom. It is sad that a man who rode on crass opportunism to become the governor on the back of religious and ethnic agitations has done almost nothing to ameliorate poverty, provide real security, and build human capacity.
Ortom relies heavily on the mediocrities of the Buhari government and their cruel and barbaric bias over the Herdsmen/Farmers crises to massively perform so poor and below even a Local Government standard. In fact, if a LG Chair has is underperforming like Ortom, such person deserves to be impeached and jailed. That Samuel even have the guts to be dancing around the country over the ambitions of one wasteful prodigal from Rivers, is both criminal and embarrassing.
In Benue, today, people travel within the state with their “hearts in their mouths” due to a failed security systems in the state, with our “dear” governor dancing round the country like a musical artist. The rate of kidnappings in the state is alarming all because someone is looting the Security Votes, while shouting “Fulani this! Fulani that!!
How can a governor rely on lamentations to secure the legendary “Food Basket of the Nation?! Ortom and his clueless gangs of rulers will be disgraced come 2023. One must note, that the Fulani attacks are the heights of “ethnic cleansing” brought about by an economic and agricultural crises. Our party in the AAC have openly said we will be building modern ranches as well as heavily secured Mechanized farming such that the only conflict would be which of both animal or Plant Agriculture is bringing in the greater wealth. By then, we all in Benue will be living in abundance and peace.
How did we got to that point, every system has shut down including the civil service system, no salaries and employments? Our hospitals are mere consulting centers and the worst are the ones in the rural areas. The only areas functioning in our general hospitals are the mortuaries!
The educational systems are gradually fading off especially the public schools, particularly the primary schools which needed more attentions because, that is the foundation of every child, yet we are suffering and smiling. If teachers are not paid, what do you think of the output?
The social welfare aspects are on life support. Benue state really entered” One chance” with Ortom and his lots. We can’t afford another one of his kind whether in APC or PDP. Neither do we want to go to the professional liars Party who are, of course, the feeders team of the oppressors.
The African Action Congress (AAC) in Benue has the most reliable and ideological forthright candidates today. We are campaigning and mobilizing the truly oppressed people from streets to streets. We believe that we can deliver on our manifesto to build a new Benue where insecurities and corruptions will be of the past. We want to build a Benue where we will show real responsibility, not blaming the past of the Federal government for all our woes.
A new Benue is very possible as we have the greatest asset; Agriculture. We also have great resourceful and organized people. For those who think we need experiences, AAC has them as our comrades were the only organized groupings that fought and stood with the people when the crises were and are hottest. Bad experiences like that of Ortom and his fellow clowns dancing around the country, only destroy. We in AAC have the good experiences that can rescue the rots. It’s time for Benue people to rise. We cannot continue like this!
*Chief Benjamin Ewaoche Obe is the Gubernatorial candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in Benue state for the 2023 Elections.