My name is Chief Dr Patrick Osagie Eholor, the senior advocate of the masses, voice of the voiceless, otherwise known as Ultimate Equal;
President and Founder of One Love Foundation.
I have a billboard by NUJ, I have had this bill board for several years and I have never failed to pay the required Government Fees to sustain it there.
Recently there has been pressure on my team, a lot of threats that my billboard should be removed because some persons in positions of authority are not comfortable with my advocacy.
But my billboard here is to educate the general public. One cannot measure the invaluable gains of members of the public from the Advocacy messages on the Billboard
It is quite unfortunate that despite the immense Social Benefits of the Facility, the Powers that be overpowered me and destroyed the billboard.
From my Investigation, the action was allegedly carried out on the orders of the Governor of the State Mr Godwin Obaseki!
In the History of election campaigns, all Political Parties, Candidates, even ordinary citizens campaign with billboards.
One can even put billboards in his or her opponents green area, front of their houses.
Such Billboards are not vandalized or taken away.
The worst is that the opposing views can be printed on another Billboard perhaps opposite the first one to counter claims that were so put forward …It is usually the case of I say my own , You also say yours …as it is customary even in civilized climes.
I know that the Billboards of the Deputy Governor of Edo State Mr Philip Shaibu were also vandalized and many others.
But I can categorically prophesy that It is not the number of billboards that a Politician erects that will make him or her win the elections but the good he or she has offered to the generality of the Public especially the Masses .
It is what you have done for your people that will make them either re-elect or vote you out.
I do not want to go low with the State Government if I want to go low, I will also order that billboards for his candidate/godson should be taken away everywhere in the state and nothing will happen.
Being the Governor doesn’t mean one is God because when the citizens are comfortable with Governance it means one has good Government in power, it means those in power honour their citizens.
But when the citizens are uncomfortable, you know there is tyranny and dictatorship in power.
So I want to tell the Edo State of the people that in this upcoming election, we don’t want no problem, they should please advice Godwin Obaseki that this election should not be do or die.
Thank you.
Dr Patrick Osagie Eholor, a human rights defender writes from. Benin City, Edo State.