By Oladipo Airenakho
Crown Prince of Benin Kingdom, His Royal Highness (Amb) Eheneden Erediauwa today reiterated the non-partisanship of the Benin Monarch, but said “it is not always too easy to be in the opposition with the party at the center in Abuja.”
Prince Eheneden made the remarks while receiving some governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who paid him a courtesy visit in his Palace.
The Edaiken who praised Governor Adams Oshiomhole for his achievements said, “on behalf of the chiefs, the royal family and the Benin Kingdom, I want to specially welcome here the gubernatorial aspirant and his running mate, the one I call my son. He is always so shy. I don’t know how he is able to play politics. I want to welcome all of you for coming here today.”
He wished Mr. Obaseki well in his gubernatorial ambition
“I have always said one thing, and I have repeated and reiterated it over and over again that in Benin, the Benin Monarch is not partisan. However, it is not always too easy to be in the opposition with the party at the center in Abuja.”
He continued, “So, when Adams Oshiomhole, the Comrade Governor took the reins of office here, and it was APC; the PDP was in charge in Abuja; we were all wondering: how is he going to do it?
“How is he going to get the attention of the federal government? How is he going to pool all the resources that he needs to work in the state? As you all know, he worked miracles.
“He did a lot of things which many people thought could not be “done; almost along the same line the Governor of Lagos State at the time also, Fashola. So, they were virtually like two brothers working together in the face of the opposition,” the Royal Father noted.
The Edaiken prayed Lord God almighty and “our ancestors to protect the gubernatorial candidates” and give them the wisdom to put food on the table of the masses. According to him this is so because “for us, our first concern is the people, the masses.
He also noted that Obaseki will be a great respecter, “like our comrade Governor, I said he should do better than him, to be a great respecter of the traditional institution.”
“I want to thank you all very much and wish that the gubernatorial aspirants will do their best to improve on the Comrade Governor’s work in the State.
It is going to be a lot of work to beat. He has set standards that other governors, they have to beat, he said.
On behalf of the APC governors, the Chairman of Progressives Governors Forum and Governor of Imo State, Mr. Rochas Okorocha thanked the Crown Prince for the audience to introduce their gubernatorial candidate whom the party believed would be a good Governor of the state, judging by what he said was the performance of Comrade Oshiomhole.
“Adams Oshiomhole is one man in this country that you cannot afford not to count when you are counting the northerners. He has passion for Edo State. He has made his mark, but if after all these good jobs, there should be a continuation, so that we, as my brother rightly put it yesterday, that we will not go back to Egypt.”
He noted that for the Party to have chosen Godwin Obaseki as its flagbearer “means that certain qualities of Adamism are in him. They started right and they said we should accompany him here. And the first to visit the stream takes the cleanest of the water.”
Earlier, Governor Adams Oshiomhole appreciated the privileged offered by the visit for APC to be the first to present its gubernatorial candidate to the Royal Father.
“And we believe with your blessings and prayers, and knowing your commitment, the peace, security, development and continuous growth and development of this great kingdom, and indeed of the entire Edo State, and of which you know, your highness, we are unanimous. There is only one paramount traditional ruler in this great state.”
“For me, therefore, it is a rare privilege that you granted us the honor and opportunity to present the person who is applying for my job. So, we are privileged to present to you Godwin Obaseki as our gubernatorial candidate for the September 10 election.
“We ask for your prayers, your blessings and all that you have done for me before, which I pray should be extended to him, because he himself must do much better than I was able to do.”
Among the Progressives governors that visited the Benin Crown Prince with Governor Oshiomhole were Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, Simon Lalong of Plateau State, Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State, Abdulahi Ganduje of Kano State, Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State as well as deputy governors of Niger, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Borno, Kwara, Kogi and Oyo states.
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