The Director General of the Edo State Liaisons Office in Abuja Tony Aiyijina, in this interview with JAMES UWEM, he talks about his stewardship and as well evaluates political developments in the state.
How has? it? been like serving as? the DG of Edo State Liaison? Office in Abuja ?
It has been a remarkable? and wonderful experience. Most satisfying is that I am serving under? an? achiever, a person seen? as the people’s governor , who has been practical in? delivering visible? democratic dividends.? Governor Adams Oshiomhole has righted the? wrongs? and misgovernance of? many years characterized? by the total absence of infrastructure .
I am indeed happy that history will identify me as one of those who worked with a governor who? brought about incredible? changes to Edo people . I think the infrastructural evolution in the state? informs the rationale? why the market women single-handedly paid about N4.4m for? the nomination form? of the? governor.
That ,? I think no governor in the country has been accorded such support by ordinary market women. Even the governor was stunned by their courage because? the market women did that without the knowledge the governor .
What service do you render as the D–G Edo state liaison office in Abuja?
Just like an embassy ,I am doing a similar work as an Ambassador of? a country, but at the state level. I cater for the well being of all the Edo indigenes in Abuja and by extension the northern part of the country. I stand in as the intermediary between the? Edo people and relating to the governor on their needs.
The governor calls me often to ask how the Edo indigenes are fairing.? I represent the governor when the need arises, but ultimately I am here for the well being of the Edo people.?
How have the Edo people in Abuja and outside the state been? benefitting? from the? policies of the state government ?
The? government has been highly responsive? to the plights of? all Edo indigenes whether living in or outside the state. For instance, during the Jos? and Maiduguri? crises, and during crisis in other parts of? the north, Edo government was the first to evacuate? Edo citizens from those troubled zones.
Part of my job here is to make sure the Edo people fill their quota in federal placements in the civil service and other places; that we have been very proactive, and that no Edo indigene is unduly victimized. When we have such reports, the governor always?? gives logistics to effect the rights of such persons.
Edo State is rated the highest in cross- border prostitution by NAPTIP? and other agencies, Couldn’t this be as a result of? unemployment in the state?
Prostitution is not synonymous with Edo? State. There was this time that it was said Benue State had the highest number of HIV and AIDS victims. Is Benue? State part of Edo State?? There are lots of exaggerations in the facts and figures? speculated by NAPTIP. If not,? how do you have the names of people other than those from the state all claiming? to come from Edo? Look, it is? so easy for anybody caught to say? she is from Edo .
So, it’s all speculations ! However, it won’t be right to say that Edo girls are not into prostitution. You know there are prostitutes even in the Vatican city .?
For the few that have been apprehended and authenticated to be of Edo origin,? my office have rehabilitate them. Majority of them are now gainfully employed either in the state civil service or they are empowered to do their own trade.
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Where is Edo state? in the league of states in the country ??
I want? to sound very modest. When? you mention? , Lagos and? Rivers state , I am sure? the next state to mention will be Edo;? This is not? debatable. If you want to use the parameters of taxation, Edo State now?? generates about N2bn as internal revenue far from the N300m when the PDP were in power.?
This? is? largely? due? to voluntary compliance from the people who believe in? the infrastructural? revolution agenda of the? government which as it is , no local government has been left out in developmental projects.
So there? is outmost transparency in the? use of tax? funds; the people are seeing the measures of developments implemented with the taxes they pay, not that the? money is generated and shared? among political godfathers? as it used to be under PDP.
Governors?? always lay claim to renovation of primary schools, rehabilitating roads, etc. What can you say are remarkable achievements? of this? administration?
There are specifics. Governor Oshiomhole? was the first to pay the N18,000 minimum wage, showing example as one that came from the labour movement. In terms of employment creation , the government is collaborating with Dangote to establish a? fertilizer plant in Edo state? and the? governor? has come up to say government will? support the plant by providing? the needed infrastructure aimed at attaining the? much sought employment generation .
In the education sector, a lot? has been invested in human capital development , especially at the foundation levels , the primary and secondary. Where the students were sitting on benches? and two classes in one classroom and?? studying? in dilapidated classrooms are history.
That? informs? the exodus of students from private to the public schools in Edo State, because public schools are now better off than the private ones . Similar evolution is going on in the health and other sectors. Ideally , I would say that , cardinal among all these is that governance has been demystified in Edo state.? The? governor most times walks on the? streets to? have? handshakes? with the common? people, that way the people can express? issues bothering them .
So, the disparity? that existed between the government and the governed is being demystified. All the aides of? the governor, which I am one, I tell you? cannot abuse the privileges? of their offices and get away with it. All the leakages have been significantly blocked.
That is how the governor has been able to conserve funds for the development of the state , unlike the PDP era where allocations were? shared among? perceived political leaders.
Can you tell us areas yet to be covered?
I have? not really seen areas that are left untouched, but there are? projects? that are not yet completed which certainly the governor has promised to complete when voted in for the second time . I can assure you that Oshiomhole’s second term? will be a period of consolidation in the areas that he has started.
There? have? been? insinuations about? threats from? PDP? that they are going to use? the presidency to capture the state;? what does this imply ?
That is an empty threat. Capturing is not a democratic language neither is it in the manifesto of PDP. I think that they? would? rather tell the Edo? people what they want to do for them.? I don’t think President Goodluck will be happy to hear that there was no election in Edo state, that the place was captured.?
Those who are saying they want to use the presidency to capture the state are trying to bring the president to disrepute? because?? the president cannot be talking about transformation , which? involves electoral integrity and transparency? and then some political entrepreneurs, whose motive is profit-making and not development?? will be talking about rigging elections
PDP supporters are decamping , even the former governor , Prof. Osunbor? has promised lending his support to Oshiomhole and there are speculations that Oshiomhole spends money to buy over these? people. Is this part of his strategy?
That is propaganda and blasphemy. In Akoko Edo, for 20 years we never had a tarred road. But as I speak now, the road is under construction. So that is the emotional attachment from all the people? from that area? now.? If the governor spends money buying people , how much will be left for him? to? do all he has been doing ?
The governor has said it severally that for every vote,? he will have to earn the vote? through his empirical evidence of performance . Those decamping have since evaluated his achievements. Even the PDP in their hearts know that the governor has done well
The governor has said that it is not a? do or die thing; does it mean that if election is rigged he may not fight for his right the way he did in? 2007?
The election is not about Oshiomhole , it is about the people of Edo state. Would the people be willing? to give up their hard-earned freedom now to go back to slavery ? Edo people can’t accept such kind of electoral? Manipulation this time around. They did it before and got away with it.
They can’t try such now! That is why I always? tell the PDP people that? it is dangerous? to test the level of? water with two legs? because the people this time? will carry? their fate? in their own hands.?