By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City
A chieftain of the Edo State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Owere Dickson Imasogie has said that he’s grading the earth roads at Ugieghudu town in Uhunmwode Local Government Area because of the promise he made to the people in the community during the Obaseki/Shaibu campaign for the 19 September Edo governorship election.
Owere Imasogie stressed that he promised to grade the roads during the campaigns as a result of the difficulties himself and the PDP goververship campaign train in Uhunmwode Local Government Area experienced in accessing Ugieghudu township roads during the governorship campaigns adding that he has to mobilise men and equipment to site in fulfillment of that promise.
Owere Imasogie who was the former chairman of the board of the Cocoa Research Institute, Ibadan stated this in an interview with journalists in Benin City.
“I led the Obaseki campaign throughout Uhunmwode Local Government Area in the last governorship election and we had problem accessing Ugieghudu because the roads has not been graded in the last two years. The people respected me as the team leader, but didn’t want to see some of the Council officials. There was no way we would have taken our cars to the campaign venue and didn’t want to see some of their Council elected officials to address them, I’ve to beg them and pleaded with them that I was going to grade all the roads and the adjoining earth roads before the election; but unfortunately, a week before the election when I wanted to mobilise men and equipment to site, they appealed to me to shift it to the dry season as any work done on the roads during the rainy season will not last and will not be appreciated, hence I’m doing the grading now.”
The elder statesman and PDP chieftain disclosed that his grading gesture has moved to Egbede after which he’ll move to Ohuan ward starting from Obadan and take it through to Ebue to Agbor road corridor of Uhunmwode Local Government Area on the plea of the youth leader of the area, one Felix Erhunse and one Agbihiagha, a sister to Mr. Frank Amadasun.
“Right now am at Egbede, also grading the earth roads. From Egbede I’ll move to my ward – Ohuan ward. I don’t want to run down anybody. During the governorship campaigns youths from my ward -Ohuan ward- erected a sign board urging us not to come to the ward to campaign, it was for my intervention they allowed us in.
“In 2018 I graded the road up to Ebue N’ eki, which is the ward headquarters. Late last year the youths of the ward led by one Felix Erhunse and Frank Amadasun’s sister popularly known as Agbihiagha sent emmisaries to me to assist as the road to Obadan was no longer accessible after I graded it in 2018. I had to send my grader to grade it because if I decline because of the annoyance in me, I will be disappointing all those who rely me and my intervention,” he said.