NASS ELECTION 2023: Why Sen.Ordia, Edionwele Deserve 3rd Terms - Esan Youths for...

As Nigerians brace up for the 2023 political season, the Executive Director, Esan Youths for Good Governance and Social Justice, Comrade Benson Ordia, says the senator representing Edo Central Senatorial District, Engr Clifford Ordia, and the member representing Esan West, Esan Central/Igueben Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Joe Edionwele, deserve a return to the upper and lower chambers of the national assembly, respectively.

Giving reasons for his position, Comrade Ordia, who was guest to the reporter of Esanland Update Magazine, said the federal lawmakers have performed beyond their campaign promises and have dotted their constituencies with projects beyond the expectation of the people

"We have never had it as good as this", the Esan youth leader said as he reeled out the projects and programmes of Senator Ordia which he said have put smiles on the faces of the people of the district and endeared him to them.

"During his campaign, he always said 'I will go and make laws that will benefit the people'. He never told us he was coming to do the things we see on ground. 

"As I speak to you, it is bumper harvest of Constituency Projects across the five LGAs that make up Edo Central Senatorial District.

"Starting from Uromi, the administrative headquarters of Esan  North East, you can see solar street lights. If you move ahead to Idumusa Primary School in the same Uromi, you see a block of three classrooms and headmaster's office. 

"Uromi has 11 wards. In some communities, you will see ultramodern primary healthcare centre built by the senator and road constructions sponsored and facilitated by the senator. 

"Most of the road projects were abandoned by the NDDC in the past, but he has reactivated them and compelled the contractors to come to site. 

"From Afuda to Izumoza through Usugbenu, the road is 13.8 km, a project under capital budget of the federal ministry of works during the time of President Goodluck Jonathan. Senator Ordia, as a matter of urgent public importance on the floor of the Senate, mandated the contractor to come back to site. The road has been completed and he has ordered the same contractor to relocate to Uzea axis to continue the project from there down to Anegbete and to Ekperi. These are physical projects you can see and feel.

"If you go to Ubiaja at Uokha close to the Sacred Heart Model Girls School, you'll see a road that is being done by the ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. These roads are sponsored and facilitated by Senator Ordia. 

"At Ubiaja, through the Catholic Church, there is another road behind, leading to Angle 90. It is also sponsored by Senator Ordia. At Ewohimi, there are many projects in terms of street lights, block of six classrooms, healthcare and what have you. 

"If you go to Igueben, the first project is an ultramodern primary healthcare centre on Afuda. 

That project is completed and in use. This is where today COVID-19 vaccine is being administered and nursing mothers are going for prenatal and antenatal programmes. 

"Still within Igueben Metropolis, you'll see a length of solar street light, 2.8 km down to the Idumeka railway, then to the Catholic church and Union Bank on Sir Tom Ikimi Way is 4-in-1 solar lights and 3-in-1 solar lights."

The youth group leader said his organization is not coercing anyone but merely airing its opinion on the strides of the senator whom he claimed, has won the minds and hearts of Esan  people by proving that a senator can make laws and at the same time use his influence to facilitate roads.

"If you go to Irrua, when you get to Usugbenu there is a road to Uzebu. They started that road few weeks ago. The drainage has been completed and the contractor started with earth moving recently. 

Immediately the earth moving is completed, they'll do the sand filling and the stone base, then asphalting. The stone base for the one at primary school at Asfatu is completed. 

The one behind Zuma Memorial College of Health Technology, a 1.3 km road, is completed. By the market behind the GUO Supermarket, a road is constructed. At Opoji, a road that was abandoned has been reviewed and Senator Ordia mandated the contractor back to site. 

"At Ikekogbe, Irrua, that road has been completed by a federal agency. These are projects. Some months ago, over 500 youths across the five LGAs of the  were trained in agric, small and medium scale enterprises and other skill acquisition programmes.

"At the end of the training, they were given N200, 000 each for starter packs. Few months later, another training took place where some were paid N300, 000 and some N200, 000.  

"As I speak to you, some are in training under the CBN loans scheme. 

All these projects and programmes are sponsored and facilitated by Senator Ordia. 

In Esanland you'll see tricycles popularly known as Keke Napep. These have inscription on them: Sponsored by Senator Engr Clifford Ordia, in conjunction with FGN and Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. 

"Before now we did not see the dividends of democracy, but it is now an outpouring of Constituency Projects and empowerment. "

He described Senator Ordia as a man with respect for constituted authority and the traditional institution, adding that party hierarchy also benefits from him like the youths are doing, especially in terms of recommendations. 

He expressed the belief that Senator Clifford Ordia has good chances of clinching PDP ticket and going ahead to win the senatorial election in 2023, stressing that campaigns for the election will be issue-based as the people will demand the report cards of any candidate seeking their votes.

In his opinion, gone are the days when elections were won by snatching of ballot boxes. He said the electoral process in the county has improved, and cited Edo 2020 as a case in point.

On Edionwele, he said his performance will also speak for him.

"He is a visionary leader par excellence. From his background as chairman of Esan  West LGA, he did marvellously and was able to change the narrative in the politics of Esan West. In terms of projects and human capital development, he is a man of the people and an enigma at the NASS.

There is no state in the South South where you have primary school blocks of three and six classrooms designed in modern form with parafet and step tiles roofing sheets.

Edionwele did that in Eguare Primary School Igueben in Ward 8 and a primary school in Irrua, and across the constituencies.

As is now, he is sponsoring a bill which has passed the first reading, seeking the conversion of the College of Education, Igueben, Edo State, to Federal University of Education, Igueben, Edo State. 

He is a man driven by purpose and has the zeal and passion to serve the people. He is very courageous and is working assiduously with Senator Ordia for the betterment of Esan  people in terms of projects and human capital development.

He has helped Esan youths to have jobs in immigration, prisons, civil defence, police and the army."

According to him, for Esan  people to move forward politically, they must not embrace politics of primordial sentiment and nepotism but seek leadership quality and performance in candidates vying to represent them, describing Edionwele as a man with good antecedents and pedigree.

"It will not be business as usual. Edionwele is a marketable aspirant or candidate. Good things sell well in the market. What he has been able to achieve will speak for him."

To Comrade Benson Odia the Executive Director, Esan Youths for Good Governance And Social Justice, who is the, third tenure is important and in fact sacrosanct since in the 1999 Constitution, as amended, legislators at all levels can vie as many times as the people find them useful. 

Against this backdrop, he said, Senator Ordia and Hon Edionwele have done well and deserve to return to the national assembly to complete what is left of their vision for the development and unity's of Esanland to the level.