Gov. Adam Oshiomhole of Edo says he will like to be remembered as factory worker, leader of a textile union, who later “fought the most vicious godfathers’’ to win elections as two-term governor.
Oshiomhole, who will be leaving office on Nov. 12, made this known to State House correspondents in Abuja on Monday.
He said, “I want to be remembered as a factory worker who worked and laboured as a daily paid worker in the most subordinates post in textile mill.
“Rising to become leader of the textile union and eventually spending eight years as NLC president, then going back home to confront the most feared and vicious godfathers that monopolised Edo state.
“I fought godfathers, which is essential to make way for liberal democracy.’’
He said he was in the State House to invite President Muhammadu Buhari for a State Visit in Edo, where he would be expected to inaugurate some people-oriented projects executed by his administration.
Oshiomhole stated that the projects to be inaugurated by the president would include a five-star hospital in the state.
He said that he was not worried of being betrayed by the governor-elect, Godwin Obaseki, after he must have handed over the mantle of leadership of the state to him.
According to him, Obaseki’s allegiance should be to the people not him.
“That is very important if you say he will disappoint me, I am not the state I am only one out of about four million Edo people.
“So, his obligation and his loyalty should be to the people of Edo State.
“The oath of office he is going to subscribe to says that he will defend the Constitution of Nigeria, he will do everything to uplift the quality of life of Edo people.
“Nothing in his oath of office will include ‘I shall not betray my predecessor’ because I have no interest to be betrayed.
“For me, I have presided over Nigeria Labour Congress for eight years and I had a successor, there was no story of me having conflict with my predecessor. because conflict only arise when you refuse to accept that when your tenure is over, it is over.’’
Oshiomhole said he had no regrets campaigning for Obaseki, saying he acquired the skills right from his labour days fighting the oppressors.
He said: “As for the campaign, and this is the problem, the media picks the negatives from the mouth of those who are the least competent. That I campaigned for him, I was this I was that. That is the way it should be.
“Look at what is going on in the U.S, is Obama not vigorously campaigning for Clinton?
“Is Obama’s wife, the First Lady of U.S is she not as vigorous perhaps much more than Bill Clinton?
“But these are skills I acquire from short floor which they will never acquire.
“I am a product of struggle as a result of my many years of being exploited, fighting the oppressors, I deployed those skills and I defeated them.
“At a point they said I should allow the man to talk, did the electorate complain?.’’(NAN)