Eugene Utubor, the Special Adviser to the Governor of Edo State, Michael Okpebholo, on Political Matters, Engagement and Mobilisation, has described the Governor as God’s gift to the state.
Speaking in a chat, Utubor stated: “Look at what happened today in the government house where people from the entire 18 local government areas congregated to celebrate on the invitation of the governor to come and praise God. I know that during the era of the past government you don’t just enter the government house. Within a month that he (I don’t want to mention a name) assumed office he warned people to stop coming to the government house.
“You dare not come to the government house. Even when you’re coming to the government house for swearing in ceremony you’re giving conditions on the number of people that should accompany. You can’t have more that say two people coming with you. Look at the situation now under Governor Monday Okpebholo, whether you’re a farmer, trader or artisan you have access to the government house. Governor Okpebholo respects everybody. Today, a session was organized for people to come and celebrate the Easter. That’s why the people of Edo State are happy. When the righteous rule the people rejoice.”
On his appointment by the governor, Utubor stated: “Let me appreciate the governor for deeming it fit to appoint me. He knew my capability. He knew my relationship with the people. This have to do with engaging with the people, reaching out to the commoners etc. Mr. Governor doesn’t believe that he should reach out to the people only when it’s few weeks to election.
“We have started reaching out to people in the communities, engaging them, monitoring them and making sure there’s synergy between them and the government. For a couple of weeks I have been going round talking to the people knowing their immediate needs and relaying it to Mr. Governor. Why I am here is that I was with him from the beginning of the campaign to the end of the campaign. We know there was a strong disconnection between the people and the past government. We don’t want to follow suit. We want to do something different. That’s why I am here.”
Going further, he asserted, “people want to know what their government is doing. These people are our brothers and sisters. We accommodate them. The governor has given me the mandate to attend to the people. To know what they want and how he can solve the problem. My office encompasses political, mobilisation and engagement. On that note people have been coming to ask questions and I give them answers.
“Okpebholo’s government is a very friendly government. A government that knows the problem of the people. There’s a strong interraction between the government of the day and the people. So what you’re seeing here’s not funny. We attend to between 50 and 100 people daily since I assumed office. The governor have given me the mandate to go and talk to the people and that I should give him feedback immediately. My office is the closest office to the people.”
On the defection of some PDP legislators to the APC, Utubor stressed: “One funny thing is that those PDP members in the state House of Assembly crossing over to the APC are doing so voluntarily. They’re not been enticed or forced by anybody. First time in the history of the state whereby the governor would be of APC while the speaker of the state House of Assembly would be of the opposition party, PDP.
“That’s to tell you how good Governor Okpebholo is. The governor told me that ‘the interest of the people is more powerful than any individual’s interest. I don’t want crisis in Edo State.’ People were advising him to remove the Speaker of the state House of Assembly but he stood his ground that they should let him be. He said, ‘No, allow the Speaker to remain there whether he is of APC or of PDP.’
“Today, the APC has the majority in the House of Assembly but the governor is not driving the remaining PDP members. They remain his friends. I can assure you that in the next few months from now the number of PDP members in the state would have reduced drastically. A political tsunami that will sweep the state clean of opposition PDP members is coming. What people are interested in is the man at the helm of affairs, Governor Okpebholo. He is a nice man. Look at what he has done within a short while in office.”
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