Edo state Governor Adams Oshiomhole said he owes no apology to former members of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Edo State who decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, adding that he will not share the state resources which are meant for the development of the leaders and use it to satisfy few leaders.
Speaking at the presentation of Staff of office to Alhaji Jackson Etokhana as the Oghieavhianwu of Avhianwu, Oshiomhole urged the Royal father to educate his people, as he added that; “We must use every opportunity to educate our people. This afternoon, your Royal Highnesses, I am not asking you to go and carry party cards. I only ask you and your chiefs to educate our people to distinguish politicians, who will stand only when it is good for their family, not when it is good for the larger community.
“I want it to be said that when I left office, our people started distinguishing thieves from real politicians. Our people must learn to begin to interrogate all manners of political miscreants, who come wanting to cash in on the poverty of our people. I always say that to be poor is not to be crazy. So, we must be clear.”
The former Labour leader also assured traditional rulers in the state that his administration would “never interfere with traditional matters.”
“So, those who defect because I do not put money in their pockets, let them continue to defect; no apology. Everybody will be remembered when they write the history of politics in Afemai land.”
“Those who called for Afemai Agenda believing that when an Afemai man becomes the governor, he will carry state money and share to them. And once they do not get it, they abandon Afemai Agenda and now they have turned only to the agenda of their stomach infrastructure.
“You will always be governed by politicians, whether you like it or not, but you must carefully select your politicians on the basis of those who understand that state power is not for the private comfort of those around the state operators.”
