By Ikponwmosa Osadolor.
The senatorial election victory of Senator Monday Okpebholo (aka) Akpakomiza in Edo Central Senatorial District, will undoubtedly be recorded as the biggest political story in the 2023 general elections in Edo state.
Since the inception of the current democratic dispensation which began in 1999, Edo Central Senatorial District, also known as Esanland, was accorded the political reputation of being the headquarters of PDP in Edo state, courtesy of the heavy political influence of “Mr Fix it,” late Chief Tony Anenih, the Iyasele of Esanland.
The candidacy of Monday Okpebholo (aka) Akpakomiza, under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was a paradigm shift and a breath of fresh air in the political spectrum of Edo Central.
Fondly and popularly known as ‘Akpakomiza,’ by the ordinary people across the breadth and lengths of Esanland, his humility, respect and accessibility and unmatched philanthropic acts endeared him to the masses.
Akpakomiza’s uncommon interventions in all public sectors at the expense of his private resources, at a time he didn’t occupy any public office made him a humanitarian and a development driven individual.
His righteous anger over infrastructure decay in Edo Central resulted to his construction of feeder roads and grading of dilapidated roads across Edo Central Senatorial District.
He confronted the long-aged government sponsored belief of the inability to get potable water in Edo Central head-on, through his borehole water scheme that provided portable drinking water to several communities in Edo Central.
Akpakomiza’s free transportation program in Edo Central that is still ongoing till date, daily gives succor to a large numbers of commuters due to the hardship of subsidy removal. In essence, Akpakomiza free transportation scheme has become a major palliative measure that is cushioning the effect of subsidy removal for workers, students, traders and the unemployed in Edo Central.
At a time when insecurity runs rampage in Edo state, Akpakomiza intervened by strengthening the security architecture of security agencies through the provision of security patrol vehicles and other relevant security gadgets for effective policing. This noble intervention reduced acts of kidnapping in Edo Central and as such got a commendation from the Edo state Commissioner of Police.
Akpakomiza’s interventions in education sector through awards of scholarships to indigent students and best performing students, free WAEC enrollment scheme, provision of laptops and free internet services for some tertiary institutions and secondary schools across Edo Central at the expense of his private resources accorded him the reputation of an individual who succeeded were governments failed.
Akpakomiza’s welfare scheme net captured the elderly who are provided monthly upkeep allowances, the vulnerable who are given the relivant assistance kit, and the indigent patients whose medical bills are paid monthly across different health centers in Edo Central Senatorial District.
In view of the above, Akpakomiza’s historic bipartisan victory that broke the over 24 years political jinx in Edo Central wasn’t by sheer luck, but, an act of reciprocity by the vast majority of greatful Esan people.
As the political activities for 2024 governorship election in Edo state kicks off, Distinguished Senator Monday Okpebholo (aka) Akpakomiza, unarguably, is the best man that has the political goodwill and capacity to restore, reform and revive Edo state.
We therefore call upon him to come out to serve the good people of Edo state.
*To be continued…*