By Kemi Blessing Alao, Benin
The Chairman of One Love Foundation, Chief Patrick Osagie Eholor has commended Justice Taiwo Taiwo, of Abuja High Court for the suspension of the Edo State local government elections.
In a chat with journalists in Benin, Eholor described him as a just judge, as he had severally given verdicts that favour the truth and justice.
He described him as a judge ‘imbued with bravery and selflessness, for keeping to the pledge of the oath of his office.
The human rights defender also wondered how Governor Godwin Obaseki believed that he would rule Edo State gestapo – like, deciding whatever he desires without letting the citizens have any say.
He made reference to a bill proposed by the governor to the House of Assembly, that managed to sail through three readings and accented by the Assembly by only nine out of 24 members of the House.
Eholor commended Chief Dan Orbih, the former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, and South-south deputy chairman.
“Chief Orbih stood for justice and fought for democracy in Edo State. If not for him, my brother Comrade Adams Oshiomhole would have abused the powers of his office greatly. He is one of the father’s of democracy in Edo State. Today, we are faced with the challenge of defending our democracy and Justice Taiwo Taiwo has saved the day for Edo people”.
On national politics, Eholor said although he does not believe in zoning, the PDP has to honour their zoning agreement that produced a northern candidate in 2019, and zone power to the south this time.
“In the last conducted election, the last zoning was in favour of the Northerners, and that’s why Atiku Abubakar contested against Buhari.
“Now the zoning would have been given to the Southerners.”
He said People’s Democratic Party has to honour their agreement and zone the coming presidential elections to the south.
He however bashed the idea of rotation, describing it as a pattern of politics for ‘failures’.
He described both the PDP and APC as ‘dead’ political parties who are just two sides of the same coin. “PDP and APC both destroyed the fabric of politics in Nigeria”, he said and advised Nigerians to vote for candidates due to their qualities and not their party. Eholor then revealed that he is sponsoring a bill to the National Assembly to sign independent candidacy into law in the forthcoming election.
“I don’t believe in zoning or rotation. The federal characters have not helped us. It has made the Northerns to discriminate against the South.
Politics or office holding should not be reduced to state of origin, tribe, religion, but be based on merit.
“I will still vote for anyone who would work to bring the growth of this country, be he or she a southerner or northerner. I am not a politician.
“I believe in merit, not zoning”.
He ended by saying all Nigerians should as a matter of urgency get their Permanent Voters Cards to be able to vote in the candidates of their choice.