Leaders of Edo state PDP are intellectually lazy – Oshiomole

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has said the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state are intellectually lazy. Oshiomole accused the leadership of the PDP in Edo state of intellectual laziness, saying the party only offers comic relief to people of the state. Speaking yesterday when he received the new leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by Mr. Anselm Ojezua in his office, Oshiomhole said Edo State Government remains accountable and transparent and would not be deterred by the flimsy accusations of the opposition party, the Sun reports. He said: “I have read some comments in the newspapers which reveal the quality of leadership of the opposition. “For example, when we took the N25 billion bond in 2010, I did explain and I repeated it at several fora that we are servicing the bond. We spend about N520 million every month to service the bond. How such servicing has become an issue only an illiterate will wonder that we took a bond and we are servicing it. “Somebody who is illiterate and so uninformed will see the issue of servicing a bond as something that is newsworthy. That is something that you don’t need to deny. You only need to explain to the public that you took a facility and that facility is not even enough to meet our obligation in Edo South which is the Benin City Water Storm master plan project which is a N30 billion project. The benefits of that project is already being felt in many parts of the city. “I think what will make news is if we became so insolvent that we are not capable of servicing the bond. It is somebody who is so illiterate, who is so uninformed that will see the issue of debt servicing as news.” The governor, who also spoke on allegations by the PDP that he spends about N40 million on trips said maybe the PDP leadership was speaking from the experience of former PDP governors who misruled the state or that of other PDP governors in other states. While congratulating the new executives of the party in the state, Oshiomhole advised them on the need to ensure that internal democracy thrives and not to commercialise the process of choosing members for elective positions. He said: “let me congratulate you on your well-deserved appointment. No matter what anybody says, this is the best-organised election by any political party in recent history. We did not have to conduct the election with armed policemen and soldiers. It was an election that was peaceful and transparent. Oshiomhole said:“Issues of internal democracy have become major issues in political parties and decisions taken by political parties must not just be correct and how they are taken and who is involved in what decision has become an issue. I believe as individuals and collectively you have what it takes to meet the challenge of democracy.” Responding, the Chairman of the Edo State Chapter of the All Progressive Party, APC , Mr. Anselm Ojezua expressed the gratitude of the exco to members of the APC for the confidence reposed in them in giving them the opportunity to serve.