Edo 2024: Those adopting homegrown mantra are after cheap popularity — PDP Aspirant

By Elvis Omoregie, Benin

A Governorship aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the Edo 2024 gubernatorial election, Hon. Osaro Onaiwu, has described those calling themselves homegrown for the purpose of gaining cheap popularity in the name of election, saying it is about capacity to deliver the dividend of democracy to the people of the state and not mere sloganeering of homegrown.

He expressed his views while speaking with journalists in Benin, the state capital, ahead of the party’s primary.

Onaiwu said that there is nobody that is more homegrown than himself if that is what they should go by, because he has represented the state in a competition when it was still Bendel State and has equally served the founders of the state which none of those chorusing homegrown has done.

“Let’s first of all talk about the homegrown thing because nobody is more homegrown than me, because one, my wife is Edo. Majority of the aspirants their wives are not Edo.

“So, as governor to be, my wife understands the values and culture of the women and which is key, that is one.

“I served the two major people that built Edo, Samuel Ogbemudia, was the maker of Edo, then the man who created the state, Akhomo, so I served him.

“So, when they say homegrown, there has to be a definition of homegrown. So, I have served the two great people of this state. I have also participated in sports festivals. I played handball for Bendel state.

“So who could be more homegrown than me? Let any of the aspirants come out and put a medal on the table to say this is what I did for Bendel state when he was young.

“So, this is not the time for us to talk about who is homegrown and who is not homegrown. So, we are looking at capacity, we are looking at those who are ready to serve. In Igboland, there is what we call the apprentice system.

“So, when you have finished serving, they will set you free. So, let all of them come and tell me who they have served and that they now want to serve Edo people.

“When you have not served somebody, you can’t serve the people. Service is about passion, service is about humility, service is about care.

“So, we don’t want people who say that they are coming to serve us. Are they coming to serve us or are they coming to loot our common wealth? No. So, the homegrown issue should not even come into play because if they want to talk about the homegrown, I am the original homegrown because my wife is Edo.

“I married in Edo, I didn’t marry outside Edo. My mother is Ishan, my father is Benin. So who is more homegrown than me? So I don’t want to use that word homegrown, that should not even come in at all. If we want to go there, we have a lot to talk about some people,” Onaiwu said.

On the issue of zoning, the aspirant said those who advocate for it have forgotten the political history so soon adding that politics is a game of numbers, therefore those who are seeking for elective position should be prepared to canvass for votes and stop playing up sentiment.

“The issue of zoning, we have never zoned in Edo. It is clear. People are just trying to bring sentiment and emotion.

“Emotion and sentiment don’t win elections. Election is about consensus, election is about talking to people. We have never zoned. If you check from 1999 till date, every other area in the state has always participated in elections.

“So why the emotion? Why the sentiment? When Osunbor was the governor, was it zoned? He contested against Julius Ihonvbere.

“It was not zoned. So why are they now talking about zoning? Have we forgotten our history? Some people that are talking of zoning, did they participate in the electoral process in Edo State from 1999?.

“The candidates in 1999, who were the two aspirants in PDP? Was it not Azzis Garuba that was permanent secretary that Akhigbe brought and Lucky? Was it zoned? When Lucky finished in 2007, Ihonvbere from north wanted to contest against Osunbor and Ogbesia, was it zoned? In 2020, did Rice man Gideon not try to contest against Godwin Obaseki, was it zoned? So, if you have the capacity, if you know you have what it takes to govern the people, go round the local governments and sell yourself.

“You don’t sit down in one place and you expect them to come and give it to you. Go round, go to Akoko-Edo and other local governments, that is how to be a politician.

“They have people who have the capacity to be governor in Edo Central. It is not by sitting at home that we know your capacity. You have to go out.

“We have never zoned in Edo. That emotion will not work and for your information, democracy is a game of numbers,” Onaiwu maintained