Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has said that every society needs a strong opposition that will consistently expose the ruling party so as to sustain democracy.
Okowa said this while delivering a paper at the 83rd birthday of former Military Governor of the defunct Bendel State, retired Brig. Samuel Ogbemudia.
He said “strong opposition will consistently and responsibly expose the weakness of the ruling party and challenge it to deliver on its campaign promises.
“It is the duty of the opposition to articulate, aggregate and advance its ideology as superior to that of the ruling government and that the people’s interests are better served with them.
“That makes the opposition to keep the government on its toe and motivate it to deliver on good governance.
“Party ought to play their rightful roles in the democratisation process, while the party in government must seek to provide good governance and the enabling environment for growth and sustenance of democracy.”
Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, the Chief Host urged Ogbemudia to retire from active politics.
He said “You have rightly said that at your age you have reasoned beyond a petty politician to that of a statesman who is concerned not about electoral victory of a party but about who can help to continue to develop the state that you so dearly love.
“If you are convinced as I am sure you, that at your age it is Edo that matters, that it is the quality of the individual not the party that counts, the only way you can play that role is not to be detained within a particular political party, so that you will be father of all.”