By Isaac Olamikan
Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has charged politicians on quality and efficient representation, urging them to ensure effective service delivery to their constituents.
Obaseki, who spoke to journalists in Benin City, urged politicians to represent and speak for the people who voted them into power, rather than any godfather.
The governor, while warning against the politics of stomach infrastructure, urged residents to leverage the opportunities created by the state government through its programmes and reforms to better their lives and contribute effectively to the development of the state.
According to him, “Our politics has changed, as we don’t play politics of stomach infrastructure. We are creating opportunities for our people, but a majority of them are not keying into these opportunities to better their lives and contribute to the development of Edo state.”
Reinstating the need for quality representation by elected officials, the governor further expressed dismay at the lack of representation of Oredo Local Government Area at the Edo State House of Assembly.
According to him, “Change is difficult but it must come from Oredo. It’s a shame that a governor has no member representing him from Oredo in the State House of Assembly and is doing the work of the representatives to ensure services get to the people. Politics should not be practiced that way going forward.
“When you bring out people and they voted for, they should be responsible to the people and not to any godfather or leader.
“That is what has happened in Oredo where we have two representatives but none of them are there today because one godfather said they should not go and resume and serve the people,” Obaseki decried.