ADAMS OSHIOMHOLE IN THE LINE OF DUTY.

Senator Oshiomhole (4)_

By Benjamin Atu

            

President Theodore Roosevelt, in his classic Book, “The Man in the Arena” said, ” It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

It is unfortunate that the same members of the public who accused Senators of failing to attract enough constituency projects are often the first to accuse Senators of budget padding. They have no idea of what the man in the arena is going through to even execute the projects he is currently executing. The attempt to include a few developmental constituency projects in the annual budget has always been a source of contention between legislators and the executive. If legislators fail to tinker with the budget in order to insert constituency projects, their job would be limited to lawmaking and oversight without constituency relations.

Recently, I read an online post asking what project Oshiomhole had completed in two years. I wish to inform the writer that, the National Assembly is not the same thing as the Edo State House of Assembly, where the Governor alone decides what goes into the budget. Every Senator and House of Representatives members, do battle to have their constituency represented in the same one annual budget and this is why all local government couldn’t be impacted at the same time. It’s this overload and weight on the budget that usually inflated the figure and we call it budget padding. Only Edo North project can’t dominate where others exist. Not because Senator Adams Oshiomhole is a weakling. Not because Senator Adams Oshiomhole is not a vocal lobbyist; in fact, no other Senator would have been able to achieve what Oshiomhole has in two years. This clarification is required as a collective response to those who have questioned Edo North Senator’s performance.

For far too long we have given the wrong definition to Politics. Good politics is not winning an election but adding values. Senator Adams Oshiomhole did say that he will not share empowerment that will add to the poverty of the people but offers a life time opportunity that will take the people out of poverty. In just two years in office the number of Edo North youths that have secured federal government employment through Adams Oshiomhole, have outweighs what others achieved in four years.

Edo North is fortunate to have a Senator in the Political arena who is not a neophyte in the politics of development and under-development. Adams Oshiomhole deserved commendation for his human capital development agenda. The greatest need of Edo North today is employment of the Edo North youth across various agencies. Without human capital development the district can’t develop. We will continue to face the same challenges because the level of productive ventures is determined by the level of opportunity available to young people. If previous representatives had made employment an integral part of their era, the high rate of unemployment among Afemai youths in Nigeria would have been reduced.

No one can claim to understand Edo North’s developmental challenges better than Senator Adams Oshiomhole. He is the man in the Arena whose face is constantly marred by dust and who is chastised by those who would have done worse. No Senator in the history of Edo North Senatorial representation has provided the level of employment that Senator Adams Oshiomhole has proudly provided to Edo North youth. Of course, no one would claim to have a greater penetrating influence than him, given his ability to always have his way.

Finally, if Edo North is to develop, Senator Adams Oshiomhole must be unanimously endorsed and returned to the Senate for a second and third term, as this is the only way he can change the narrative of underdevelopment in Edo North. I have worked at the National Assembly and from my experience I have come to know that, any Senatorial district that changes their legislators like you change clothes, such district will never develop. You can support three Political Party at the same time. Vote for Personalities not party. It’s time we support individuals irrespective of their political stance. I am not an APC member but Oshiomhole’s continuity begins with me. This is because Legislating is a serious business and a onerous task that requires the vibrancy and activist charisma of the incumbent Senator.

Edo North can’t develop if we always pull down ourselves in the name of Political wickedness. Oshiomhole deserved re-election. If we pull ourselves down who will lift us up? See all Afemai Local Government Council Chairmen illegally removed and we are happy about it. It is evil. I pray God will use Senator Adams Oshiomhole to restore the Chairmen to complete their tenure in office. We have nothing to gain seeing others weeping. It behooves on all of us to return Senator Adams Oshiomhole to the National Assembly for a second and third tenure if he so desired to enable him become a key figure to heal all that ails us. We can all belong to different political parties and support whomever we want, but for Edo North, we must all work together to send the man who has put his best foot forward in by providing multiple avenues for members of his constituents to always have access to him. I absolutely will not support President, Bola Tinubu. But Oshiomhole’s second term and third term campaign begins with me.

Benjamin Atu
Broadcaster Journalist and Social Crusader writes from Abuja.