Edo Lawmaker, Jude Ise-Idehen Lambastes Critics, Discloses Why Eseosa Ewere Is Blackmailing Him

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A member of the House of Representatives representing Egor/Ikpoba-Okha constituency Hon. Jude Ise-Idehen has lambasted his critics, who are demanding him to step up his performance.

The criticism started from a resident of Ikpoba-Okha Eseosa Ewere who claimed Ise-Idehen had performed woefully compared to other lawmakers.

This had attracted numerous reactions on social media as more residents accused the lawmakers of disappointing the people.

Speaking with Standard Gazette on Saturday, Ise-Idehen accused Eseosa of blackmailing him, claiming his attacks started after he failed to secure a ‘chief press secretary’ position from him.

The lawmaker said his accuser was brought to his house in September 2020 by a woman named ‘Hannah’, but he turned him down as ‘he had no vacancy’ and could not create another position to satisfy him.

Ise-Idehen’s claims were backed by Hannah, who also confirmed that Eseosa wanted the position of CPS, which was already filled by someone else.

 

The lawmaker said, “Eseosa came to me, wanting to be my Chief Press Secretary, he wanted to work for me, but I told him I don’t have any vacancies, this is his anger.

“A woman living in the UK brought him to my house, and I told him I already have all positions filled and I cannot create a new one just for you. This is blackmail.”

And the eyewitness, a UK based Edo woman who allegedly took Eseosa to Ise-Idehen’s house, said, “Eseosa told me the lawmaker social presence wasn’t good enough. He can do it better, and he said there is a way he can do it, and people will be wowed.

“So, I approached the Honorable with Eseosa, and he was specific about the position he wanted, the CPS.

“Hon. Idehen didn’t give him the position, and Eseosa was also upset that the lawmaker did not give him financial assistance when he lost his dad.

“I have told him he can’t do that. If you want something from someone and you don’t get it, it is not enough to tarnish their image.”

 

Ise-Idehen defended his achievement, saying, “we are legislators; we are not executives. I don’t have a budget to do anything. I don’t get a budget to carry out whatever these guys are talking about.

The lawmaker said he belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and his position attracts less patronate, unlike his colleagues in the ruling party.

“There are two political parties in Nigeria, and I am in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and if APC legislators are doing something, you don’t expect me to do the same thing they are doing. I don’t have the patronage they get. I don’t have a minister; I don’t have a President.

“Besides, what people in Etsako want is not what Oredo people want. Needs are different. If a lawmaker is building a health centre in Oredo, for example, Ikpoba-Okha people might need other things because they already have a health centre. There is a need assessment which we carry out. What the people of Ikpoba-Okha need is empowerment. The governor is building schools and roads, but I focus on empowerment because everybody cannot be building roads and schools.

“I have trained over 1000 youths and women in catering, head dressing, baking, GSM repairs, mechanic, and I gave them tools and money to start up.”

When asked if he thinks he has achieved what he set out to do, the lawmaker said, “I have achieved what I set out to do because I told the people I would empower them as much as possible, which is what I have been doing. I have been empowering the youths, and the women and a lot of them are independent today. I have tried to remove them from the street so they do not become touts, prostitutes or engage in robberies.”

Again, when queried to compare his stewardship with other lawmakers, Ise-Idehen fired back. “Tell me other people that have attracted contracts? Should I build a school on top of what is already built? The past Chairman of Ikpoa-Okha built many schools; Secretary to the Government, Osarodion Ogie, is from Ikpoba-Okha who has attracted similar projects. Why should I do what everyone is doing to make a name?

“I have donated transformers in different communities; I have donated books, study materials, and generators to schools. I have donated computers, tables, desks to about 11 schools across the board. Did any of my colleagues give transformers? Why should I continue to build schools when there are no teachers?”

The lawmaker is confident that he is doing what his constituency wants and not what “Eseosa and his social media goons” want.

He added “I won’t build schools because they want me to. My people want jobs, self-sufficiency and I am doing that. I recently facilitated and funded eye check-ups to over 1000 people, and did they complain about that?”

Meanwhile, Eseosa, in a series of Facebook posts, claimed his alarm is for the benefit fo the people of Ikpoba-Okha.

He took a jibe at the projects initiated by the lawmaker saying, “Ovia people are very lucky, we in Ikpoba-Okha may have to ask that they loan us their DENCO and take our underperforming Rep.; in fact, they can have him for eternity, we’re tired of 3-day NOKIA torchlight phone training, spanners and bolt and nuts.”

He added, “One would expect that a political representative elected by a vast majority of the people who lined up under the sun and in the rain will be responsible enough to mount the “daise”, come down from his high horse to interact with his people, that a mere House of Reps Member sees himself as superior to the same people that elected him is a testament to the rot ravaging our society.

“Political office holders must learn to frequently feedback electorates on developmental activities, and where political officeholders may be deficient, they must align with performing colleagues to up the ante.

“That old, unpopular political narrative of undermining the people and not bankrolling capital projects must be completely eradicated from our body polity now and ever
Our interest right now is to bring to the fore our elected Rep Member in Ikpoba-Okha, Jude Ise-Idehen, to come account for his stewardship two years on as we will soon be cross-navigating Ward to Ward to ascertain his stewardship.

“For those halfbaked, unintelligent elements taking the accountability call personal, we owe you no apologies even as we advise you to continue to ejaculate because we will not relent on our demands until Jude is seen to be working rather than engaging in political frivolities that in no way impact on lives and infrastructure

 

Standard Gazette

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