Chief Dr Patrick Osagie Eholor (aka Ultimate Equals), civil rights activist and President of the One Love Foundation, has spoken about the ambition of the immediate past Minister of State for Budget and Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba to become the governor of Edo State in 2024.
Eholor in an interview argued that it is wrong for anyone to assume that it is the turn of his ethnic group or tribe to be governor, as the choice of the Edo people is based in merit, not on ethnic background.
His words: “I have no personal anger or annoyance with Clement Agba. He is my brother. As a Minister I believe that I visited his office more than five times. When his son married I left everything that I was doing to attend the marriage.
“Me and Clement Agba have come a long way. He is a brother. He is a friend. Lively guy. He also believes in Bob Marley inspirations as I do. There are a lot of things that we have in common. However, Afenmai is not Edo State. Edo State is bigger than Afenmai.”
Going further, he said that Clement Agba went to visit His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare 11, the Oba of Benin, and the Oba lambasted him and asked, “show me what you did in the metropolitan city of Benin.”
He accused the media of not publishing the report so that people will know about it having collected gratification from the ex-Minister.
“We never saw any publication or even the harsh words the Omo N’Oba used on Clement Agba,” he posited.
On the coming governorship poll in Edo State in 2024, he said: “How would anybody who believes that he is going to be a governor for Afenmai people be having interest to be governor of Edo State? That’s why I am coming out with this remark. He(Clement Agba) called me a few minutes ago but I didn’t pick the call. I think I owe him more respect than that.
“If he wants to invite me to tea or coffee or dinner, I am ready and willing to meet him face to face and tell him why I am upset with him. Do you realize that we(Edo South) have 68.5percent of the total votes and yet we’re being abused and they’re saying they’re minority. If you look at it, we have 18 local government areas in Edo State. Edo South has seven; Edo Central has five and Edo North has six.
“I am ready and willing to support anybody. I am not saying it is a right that a Benin man must continue as governor. It shouldn’t also be a right for an Esan man or Afenmai man to say it is ‘my turn’. No. It has to be by merit. Whoever the cap fits must wear it. I will support whoever the cap fits.
“I supported and worked for the late Professor Ambrose Alli it will interest you. I worked for the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, it will interest you. So I will vote for any candidate who is willing to bring the dividends to people.
“I voted for Comrade Adams Oshiomhole twice. I supported him. He is from Edo North. It is not about race or gender. But it is about qualification. Those who have passion for people. It is not about those who are selective. ‘I am an Afenmai man so the University must go to Afenmai. I am from Iyamho so it must go to Iyamho.
“We need to choose where the right things have to go. We need to look critically about who is going to be the next governor (of Edo State). We have been used and deceived by so many people.”