Why Okpebholo does not arrogate Tinubu’s glory……Governor’s works make case for Tinubu, convert critic to supporter

By John Mayaki

The exegetical story is often told of the Queen of Sheba, who hearing of King Solomon of Israel’s wisdom, travelled from her home country to test him and was amazed beyond her expectations. Has history just repeated itself through Governor Monday Okpebholo? Let us examine the facts of the case.

Since assuming office, this sincere and soft-spoken man, Governor Okpebholo, has been busy with governance and politics. The fame and genius of his governance model have started spreading far and wide, attracting all who have an interest in governance to come and see the Edo model. One of those who came to see things for themselves, to discover the truth or otherwise of the stories, was talented musician Idris Abdulkareem, popularly called Eedris.

Lawyers often use the latin phrase, “res ipsa loquitor”, which means that the facts (of a matter) speak for themselves. The facts spoke to Eedris, and he was not blinded by politics.

Although Eedris had been one of the critics of President Tinubu, he was doing so from a genuine place and was not interested in unnecessary partisanism. If he sees a spade, he calls it a spade. It is against this backdrop that upon seeing the great works in Edo state, he was impressed.

His words were “I sang about Jagajaga about 25 years ago… I have gone round Edo State and have seen what the governor has done for the Edo people. I urge you all to wait, see, and listen to what my music says about the developmental stride of the Edo State governor. I speak with my music. I have been in Abia State for the past two months doing a music documentary for Governor Alex Otti, and I will be in Edo State when I am done in Abia State.

“The government in Edo State is on the right track. I will not speak too much. I speak with my music, and wait for the music video about Edo development to drop.”

Just yesterday, a video of Eedris went viral as he released a thriller over those who criticized him for being “born again” after the gospel according to St. Monday Okpebholo of the APC.

Find the link here. https://m.youtube.com/shorts/1j-ERUaK-n4

But this is where the sincerity of Governor Okpebholo came in, for he did not hoard all the glory nor arrogate to himself any sense of pride. He replied, “I keep telling people that the money we are spending (on these projects) do not come from my father’s house. It is the president that gives us this money (through increased federal allocation). He told the governors to do every road around their states. That is why we can work.”

The governor added that having now toured the construction projects in Edo state, Eedris should be needing no further evidence to speak of the work being done for the state and the role of President Tinubu in the general improvement of governance all over Nigeria.

When a person has done well, and they know they have done well, they are confident to speak about their well doing and to show it off to anyone coming to make enquiries.

It is important to note three things. First, citizens have a role to play and to ask about the governance in the country. Eedris, a critic of the government, did just that. He did not come to play politics, he came to enquire, like the Queen of Sheba, and he found out.

Secondly, when you have done your homework well, you are not afraid to show it off to people. Okpebholo did nor procrastinate; he did his work timeously and when people came calling, he did not use words to explain; the projects spoke for themselves.

Thirdly, when the president does well, the governors should endeavour to speak well. Okpebholo, who generally does not talk much but does more than he talks, has gone out of his way to be vocal about the contributions of president Tinubu to governance in Edo state, and now Eedris is a believer, not only in Edo but in the president. For Nigeria to work in unity, we need to shelf partisanism when we see good work.

Thus, the governor is also collapsing all the “collapsibles” for the president’s re-election. Distinguished Senator Clifford Ordia, Rt. Hon. Joe Edionwele, Hon. Mrs Philomina Ihenyen, Mr Omafuma and their loyalists collapsed their structures for Governor Monday Okpebholo’s APC in a decamping ceremony this week. That is the spirit of democracy.

You don’t chase out people who criticise you from the state. You don’t go around demolishing the House of Assembly because of politics. You strengthen the institutions of government because they are the bastions of the people, you do your work diligently and when people come, they will speak your praises. Okpebholo has hacked this wisdom and now his works speak for themselves, his works speak for him, and his work speaks for the president.

Kudos President Tinubu, kudos Governor Okpebholo, kudos Eedris Abdulkareem!