*As immediate past Edo governor got rousing welcome back party
*Oshiomhole ‘hero of our time’ – Otaru of Auchi
By Our Reporters
Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the immediate past governor of Edo State, has been received back home by his kinsmen of Edo North, in Edo State.
The people were happy that, for the eight years he spent at the Government House in Benin-City, the comrade did not drag their good name in the mud as according to them he represented them well as the governor that had given facelift to Edo State in its entirety in the history of governance in the state.
Oshimhole, who apologised for coming late, gave cogent reason for his lateness. He had arrived the Aunchi Polytechnic venue of the reception held in his honour from Akure where he had gone to join President Muhammadu Buhari in the grand finale of the campaign of All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the next Saturday election in Ondo State, which he said was another very vital thing to be part of. He told the crowd of apparently joyous people, who had waited from 10am till 4.50pm for his arrival, that he never thought he could even be a councillor in his life and thanked them for the opportunity they gave to him to serve as governor.
Traditional rulers, politicians from the zone, including the deputy governor of the state, Philip Shaibu, were on ground to welcome the man whom the Otaru of Auchi described as the “hero of our time.”
Governor Godwin Obaseki and his wife, Betsy, arrived the venue five minutes after Oshiomhole’s arrival.
Other dignitaries at the event includes the Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie, Chief of staff to the Governor, Taiwo Akerele, state Chairman of the APC, Anslem Ojezua, Patrick Obahiagbon, PDP House of Representatives member, EJ Agbonayinma, Senator Francis Alimekhena and many others.
The Chairman of the organising committee and former Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Chief Tom Uloko, said the people of Edo North were proud to welcome Oshiomhole back home due to the way he transformed Edo irrespective of the paucity of funds and his doggedness in the fight against god fathers in the state.
Responding, Oshiomhole, who apologised for coming late for the event, explained he could not have left the Ondo rally since it was another serious business for the APC.
Expressing his gratitude to God and the people of the state for supporting him throughout his tenure, Oshiomhole asked those he may have offended to forgive him.
His words: “I want to say I am indebted with the opportunity given to me to serve Edo. My mother is here and I wonder what she might be thinking now, because none of us in my family ever thought anybody could even be a councillor. So I am very grateful to God.
“They were several things we wanted to do across the three senatorial districts but with the sudden crash in our finances, we were unable to do them. But no government will be able to solve all the problems and I thank God we have another APC governor, in the person of Godwin Obaseki, who understands the problem and knows what to do.
“We did our best in the 192 wards but we still have challenges and I know Godwin will tackle those challenges. I want to say I am sorry for those I may have offended without knowing but the ones I did to instill discipline I stood by it. We were not perfect but I thank you people for tolerating our excesses. Obaseki will do better than me and we pray God to guide him because I am happy he is a worthy successor.”
