Igbinedion And the Lull in Governance
by
Yours sincerely was in Benin-City earlier in the month, almost two years after the inauguration of the Lucky Igbinedion's administration and was shocked at what I saw: people still carrying buckets about looking for water.
Before he became governor, if anybody had told me that Chief Igbinedion would govern Edo for two years and have nothing concrete to show for it, I would simply have dismissed such a person. But right now, it is happening right before our very eyes
Shortly after Governor Igbinedion was declared winner of the 1999 gubernatorial election in Edo State, Edolites were happy. They had looked forward to good governance. But now their hope have been dashed. All you hear them saying is Lucky fork up, Lucky fork up.
I remember vividly how we felt when Igbinedion lost the 1991 election to Chief John Odigie Oyegun. We felt bad. As a student activist in Auchi Polytechnic then, I had mobilised my colleagues to vote en-masse for Igbinedion. Even in my village, Uhonmora-Ora, my in- law, the late Col Christopher Unuigbe had ensured that National Republican Convention (NRC) under which Igbinedion was running to govern the state had overwhelming victory. We worked round the clock for his success but for the feud between the Igbinedion family and the palace, he would have won the election. Chief John Odigie Oyegun eventually won.
No sooner was Oyegun sworn-in than he started to take the people for granted. For the roughly two years he governed the state, he didn't achieve a single feat. Instead of maintaining the few social infrastructures he inherited, he ended up destroying them. Governance was at a standstill. At intervals, he was deducting civil servants' monthly salary. Everyone became fed up and wished we had all supported Igbinedion. Then, you could even hear people complaining that if the Binis had ignored the Oba of Benin and voted for Igbinedion, he would have performed better.
It was against this frustration that everybody came out en-masse to vote for Chief Igbinedion in the 1999 race to Edo State Government House, as I do not want to believe that it was because of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under which he contested. Everyone saw him as a messiah that would take the state to the promised land. Unfortunately, their enthusiasm has been destroyed with his sluggish performance.
For a state that has long being deprived of good government, one had thought Igbinedion would transform it. Two years after his inauguration, what has Igbinedion to show? Nothing. People are still carrying buckets and jerry cans about looking for water. What a pity! In this era when virtually all the governors in the southern part of the country are commissioning one project or the other, Igbinedion is busy travelling at intervals, jollofing.
Governance is at a standstill. Not even the Independent Power Project (IPP) is his priority. Virtually all infrastructures in the state are the legacy of the former governor of the old Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia.
What is really baffling is the fact that successive governments in the state (the Igbinedion administration inclusive) have never failed to draw the attention of any visiting important personality to the need to dredge the Gelegele port. They will highlight the importance of the port to Edo State in particular and the federal government in general if dredged. One would have thought that now, the Igbinedion administration would avail itself the opportunity of the 13% derivation accruing the state to dredge the river. Unfortunately, this is not so. Instead, it chose to dredge the Ikpoba river. Can you imagine dredging a stream? Of what importance is the Ikpoba River to Edo State that it should be dredged? And the amount? A whopping N600 million. The contract, we gathered, was awarded to the governor's brother
When Governor Igbinedion is supposed to be encouraging employment he is busy encouraging unemployment. The state civil service is in complete disarray. Last year, the governor came out with an obnoxious policy which saw a better part of civil servants in the state losing their jobs. Contrary to known statutory regulation which pegged retirement age at 60 and service years at 35 years, the state government came up with its own regulation or retirement age of 50 and services span of 28 years.
Primary and secondary school teachers were among the first set of victims of this obnoxious intrusion as about 2,000 school teachers lost their jobs. Other key sectors of the state civil service lost their best-trained personnel thereby bringing the state to a standstill. Most General Hospitals can hardly boast of doctors and nurses to attend to patients. All this according to the government was to reduce the cost of running the state and save money to embark on project implementation. One year after, there are no projects to show for the obnoxious act. Yet, he could afford to spend a whopping N1 billion to host President Olusegun Obasanjo. Only God knows how much was spent on the southern governors he hosted on Tuesday
One would have thought with the smallness of Edo State, Igbinedion would transform it into a "Little London". But our expectations seem tall. Some towns and villages are still without access roads, some without electricity supply much more pipe borne water. Even the roads in the state capital are yet to be transformed from their early 60s look to something motorable. Indeed, there is no drainage system. Each time it rains, erosion envelops the city.
Agriculture, the greatest employer of labour in the state has suffered serious setbacks. The state as far back as 1958 exported palm produce to Europe and by early 1980, it maintained a secured position as the food-basket of the nation. Peasant-led farming initiative boomed along side public sector-led efforts. Today, the story is different. Since inception, the Igbinedion administration has not done anything to encourage agriculture. Instead, the government is busy importing rice from Asia which it sells at N2,400 per bag thereby discouraging local production.
In this era of state governors executing and commissioning one housing project or the other, not a single has been accomplished in Edo State. Last year, Governor Igbinedion rushed to the capital market to borrow money to embark on housing projects. About a year after collection, not a single block of foundation has been laid. The few housing estates in the state are the legacies of the Dr. Ogbemudia administration of the 70s.
Any moment from now, the present administration will mark its second year in office. One wonders what Governor Igbinedion will showcase as his achievements this time around. Between Governor Igbinedion and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, one can hardly say who is more of an Agala the traveler. Since May 1999, the governor has embarked on about 19 trip abroad. Last year, he sponsored the 18 local government chairmen in the state to London in one fell-swoop at the cost of N1.5. million each, in an ostensible bid to study grassroot government in the U.K.
While there are acts of profligacy by the governor, the state legislators are busy, clapping and enjoying themselves. Last year, the legislators divided themselves into groups for overseas tours. The first group of eight spent N3.5 million each approved by Igbinedion. The Speaker of House, Hon. Matthew Egbadon is on a fabulous salary of close to a million naira monthly, plus other incentives that usually exchange hands each time they disagree with the governor's policy.
As a son of the soil, the conduct of my state governor is paramount to me. Not just because I believe that it is about time someone cautioned the governor against personalising power and emasculating state machinery or because I believe that he should be reminded that this is how many leaders have fallen, but because I believe very strongly that the governor's interest cannot be put over and above that of the state. The people live in abject poverty and squalor. Their hopes and aspirations to see positive changes in this dispensation has been dashed as the governor remains an achiever on the pages of newspapers. The people of Edo State need some attention. If he performs better, they won't hesitate to urge him on. Now that he is not performing at all, every one of them is exasperated and calling for action.
This was how the Press and the people of Lagos State called for action from their governor, Senator Bola Tinubu, today, he is performing wonders. Igbinedion should follow suit. This is the time for Igbinedion to write his name in gold.