Just recently, the Edo State Government through the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Musa Ikhilor, issued forth a directive to public office holders with ambition for elective political position to hand in their resignation in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and face their dream.
In less than 48 hours the directive was obeyed by those affected one of which is the Commissioner for Energy and Water Resources, Barrister Washington Osifo, who has his sight on Uhunmwode/Orhionmwon Federal House of Representatives seat currently being occupied by Hon. Billy Famous Osawaru.
As soon as he signified his intention the fireworks commenced with comments from the supporters of both camps talking about who is the most qualified person for the position between the duo.
Less than 48 hours after he handed in his resignation, Barrister Osifo was at the Secretariat of the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Benin to lay bare his reasons for opting out of the Governor Monday Okpebholo led executive arm of government.
The main thrust of Osifo’s press briefing is that he “refuted claims in some quarters that his resignation was informed by his lost of favour with Governor Okpebholo, he stressed that is decision was informed by his ambition to provide better representation in the National Assembly for the people of Uhunmwode/Orhionmwon federal constituency.
“He affirmed that he has built a very cordial relationship with Governor Okpebholo and was leaving the state government executive cabinet with mixed feelings.
Osifo said over the years his constituency has been the worst in terms of development not minding that it has had a fair share of big names in politics which included the immediate past governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki, who during his eight years tenure did not bring development to the locality.
He recalled that he has held cabinet offices on three different occasions from Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources in different administrations where he performed creditably.
“I want to go to a place where I have to crack my brain, confront new challenges, provide new answers that will leave your mark in another level. This is where I seek to serve my people. I called myself three years ago whereas my people are the ones calling me now,” he stated.
In response to the erstwhile Commissioner’s press briefing the Billy Osawaru camp came up with the following.
“In democratic societies, stability is sustained not only through elections but also through the integrity of agreements and the fairness with which political arrangements are respected. Across Nigeria, many constituencies have evolved informal power-sharing mechanisms to promote inclusion, reduce political tension, and guarantee that all segments of a constituency have a fair opportunity to participate in representation.
“One such arrangement exists within the Orhionmwon/Uhunmwonde Federal Constituency of Edo State, where a longstanding gentleman’s agreement has guided the rotation of the House of Representatives seat between the two local government areas. The understanding is simple and equitable: each local government is allowed two terms—eight years—before the seat rotates to the other.
“This arrangement has served the constituency well. It has fostered political balance, prevented domination by any one section, and encouraged a sense of collective ownership of representation at the National Assembly. It is therefore troubling that, barely three years into Uhunmwonde’s tenure, some voices have begun to question whether the current representative, Hon. Billy Famous Adesuwa Osawaru, should be allowed to seek a second term. Such a proposition raises serious questions about fairness, consistency, and respect for political commitments that have helped maintain harmony within the constituency.
“The stability that has characterized the relationship between Orhionmwon and Uhunmwonde is not accidental. It is the product of mutual understanding and restraint.
“When the seat was previously held by Orhionmwon, the rotational understanding was respected and the LGA completed its full eight-year tenure without interruption or contestation from Uhunmwode. That decision demonstrated political maturity and a commitment to fairness. Today, the circumstances are unmistakably clear. The seat has rotated to Uhunmwonde, and the current representative has served only one term within what is expected to be an eight-year cycle. Any attempt to truncate this tenure would therefore undermine the very foundation upon which the rotational arrangement was built.
“Political agreements lose their value the moment they are selectively interpreted or prematurely abandoned. If one side honors the agreement only when it benefits them but disregards it when it does not, the result is predictable: distrust, political tension, and avoidable division. For the sake of equity and consistency, Hon. Billy Osawaru must be allowed to complete the tenure allocated to it under the rotational understanding.
“Beyond the issue of rotation lies another important consideration—performance and continuity of representation. In legislative politics, effectiveness is often built over time. Relationships within parliamentary committees, familiarity with legislative procedures, and the capacity to attract federal interventions to a constituency typically deepen as a representative gains experience. Hon. Billy Osawaru has, within a relatively short period, positioned himself as an active voice in the Green Chamber of the National Assembly.
“As Vice Chairman of the House Committee on Poverty Alleviation, he occupies a strategic position that allows him to contribute to policies aimed at addressing one of Nigeria’s most pressing national challenges—economic hardship and social vulnerability.
“His legislative engagement has also included initiatives aimed at strengthening agricultural education and rural economic development, sectors that remain central to the livelihood of many communities within the constituency. Such initiatives reflect an understanding of the economic realities of the area and a commitment to leveraging legislative opportunities to address them.
“Effective representation is measured not only by speeches and legislative proposals in Abuja but also by tangible engagement with constituents and efforts to facilitate development at home. Within the constituency, Hon. Osawaru’s tenure has been associated with community engagement, empowerment programmes, and efforts to attract development through interventions aimed at improving the welfare of ordinary people. These initiatives—ranging from health infrastructure support to youth and women empowerment efforts—represent important steps toward strengthening grassroots development within the constituency. While no representative can solve every challenge facing his constituents within a single term, continuity provides the opportunity to consolidate progress and expand ongoing initiatives.
“At its core, the debate surrounding Hon. Billy Osawaru’s potential second term is not simply about a political figure. It is fundamentally about the credibility of the rotational arrangement that has governed the constituency’s representation for years. If the agreement is respected, the constituency will continue to enjoy political stability and mutual confidence between its constituent communities. If it is abandoned midway, it risks setting a precedent that could destabilize the delicate balance that has been carefully maintained. Justice demands consistency. The same fairness that allowed a representative from Orhionmwon to complete its eight-year tenure must equally be extended to Hon. Billy Osawaru’s. Anything less would amount to rewriting the rules midway through the game.
“Politics, at its best, is a vehicle for collective progress. But for it to function effectively, the principles of fairness, trust, and respect for agreements must remain sacrosanct. The rotational understanding between Orhionmwon and Uhunmwode represents more than a political convenience; it embodies a commitment to equity and shared representation within the constituency.
“Hon. Billy Osawaru has served only one term within Uhunmwode’s allotted cycle. Allowing him to seek a second term is therefore not merely a matter of personal political ambition—it is a matter of honoring an agreement that has sustained unity within the constituency. To deny Hon. Billy Osawaru’s the opportunity to complete its turn would risk undermining the very foundation of trust upon which the rotational system stands.
“In the final analysis, the path that best preserves stability, fairness, and the integrity of the agreement is clear: the rotational understanding must be respected, and Hon. Billy Osawaru should be allowed to complete the tenure allocated to Uhunmwode. In politics, as in life, agreements are meaningful only when they are honored.”
Meanwhile, in countering the claims by Hon. Billy Osawaru, Osifo’s camp told Popular News that the serving federal lawmaker is being honest by half.
“The agreement between Uhunmwode and Orhionmwon Local Government Areas being peddled around by Hon. Osawaru does not tantamount to fostering a non performer on the constituency who is setting us many years back.
“He is from Uhunmwode same as Barrister Osifo. What we are aiming to do is to bring forth our best to now correct the mistake we made in bringing a non-performer in 2023.”
On the issue of empowering the constituents, Osifo’s response went thus: “If he is talking of empowering his constituents is there a big deal in that. Is he using his personal funds to do that or pinching from the huge amount allocated to the constituency as constituency funds for that purpose?”
Going further, Osifo’s camp said: “Throughout the period of the struggle. Osawaru was no where to be found. Only for him to emerge from no where using false claims, pure lies to hoodwink our people to secure the ticket.”
Talking about Hon. Osawaru’s academic qualifications “when he was campaigning to be elected he was going round telling the whole world that he’s a financial expert with a Ph.D degree trained in the USA. But it came as a shock that he ended up presenting a secondary school certificate from Edo College as his academic qualification to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“Is that not a pointer to a sinister motive of diverting attention from his false academic qualification claims during the campaign? We can’t be presenting a least qualified person to be our representative in the National Assembly. In 2027 we must make amends to that mistake we made in 2023.”
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