Deplorable roads on the ballot ahead of Edo guber poll

As governorship aspirants in Edo State are warming up for party primaries in February 2024, the awful road network in the state is not only hindering access to campaign ground in communities, but now at the centre of Edo party politics, MICHAEL EGBEJULE reports.

Ahead of the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State, stakeholders have expressed concerns over the worsening condition of roads across the 18 local councils, warning of the challenges the situation may throw up in accessing over 192 wards in the various communities and towns.

While intra-party campaigns have started ahead of the February deadline for the primaries, some aspirants are complaining of difficulties in accessing hinterlands because of many failed roads, which has become a campaign issue in the state.

The state government and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are blaming the All Progressives Congress-led (APC) federal government of playing politics with Edo State roads by neglecting all federal roads in the state, thereby subjecting travellers to the Eastern and Northern parts of the country and commuters to untold hardship. But APC leaders in the state have refuted the allegations and blamed the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, for bad road infrastructure in the state.

Indeed, there are fears among politicians that if the failed roads are not attended to before the September 21 election, officials of the National Electoral Commission (INEC) may find it difficult to send election materials to many communities in the state.

The reality is that the situation is not only affecting politicians, but also hindering free movement of goods and services, as well as creating animosity for both the state and federal government, which may ultimately lead to voters’ apathy.

Worst hit is Edo Central, which is being clamoured to produce the next governor according to the unwritten zoning formula in the state. The senatorial district has produced only one governor since 1999. Indeed, Prof. OserhiemenOsunbor, who was elected in April 2007 was sacked by the court on November 11, 2008, to pave the way for the emergence of Adams Oshiomhole.

First to cry out to the Federal Government to wade into the road situation was Governor Godwin Obaseki, who at different times called on the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to fix the roads.

Particularly disturbed on why the federal government left the roads unattended, Obaseki and the state PDP Chairman, Dr Tony Aziegbemi, called on the Federal Government to act before the election.

Indeed, Obaseki vowed to block all entrances into the state roads from the federal government roads until they are rehabilitated.

Aziegbemi accused the Tinubu-led administration of abandoning the federal roads in the state, saying it was a clear manifestation of its enormous hatred for Obaseki and Edo people.

He said: “We noticed something very sad and criminal in nature, which is, all federal roads in Edo State are not motorable. They are in extremely bad shapes.

“During our campaign to the 192 wards of the state, we had a big challenge accessing several communities because of bad roads, which are mainly federal highways connecting the South to the North and from the Central.

“Again, from Benin to towns and communities sharing boundaries with neighbouring Delta State was a nightmare. Between Ebele and Uromi, one of the members of my campaign team counted 459 trailers lined up on that road, without movement, because of the bad spots.

“A trailer fell on Sobe-Oluku Benin road and people spent several hours on that road. Is it the Benin-Auchi road, around the Ekpoma axis or around the Ambrose Ali University in Ekpoma? I dare say, you don’t even go there.”

He added: “Some people will tell you that they have been on those roads for the past seven days. Where are the passengers, drivers and motor boys taking their bath? Where are they using as their restroom? How are they feeding? Did do they make allowances for those seven days on the roads? I have never seen anything like this in my life. If I didn’t go and somebody told me, I would not believe it.

“Is it the Benin-Sapele road? I don’t know when any of you passed that road recently. I am sure even Ukraine, as we speak, has better roads than federal roads in Edo State.”

Frowning at the rate motorists use the state roads following the diversion of heavy duty vehicles due to the deplorable condition of federal roads, three Heads of Local Government Administration (HOLGA) were removed by the Obaseki government for disobeying government’s directive prohibiting articulated vehicles above 30 tonnes from plying state roads.

A source, who didn’t want his name in print, told The Guardian that the forthcoming governorship election campaign will be a torturous journey for politicians wishing to take their campaigns to Edo Central, adding that only helicopters can successfully make the journey to local communities in the area due to bad and inaccessible roads.

However, Obaseki has assured the people that he will rebuild more local roads to connect communities and open up more areas in the district after the rainy season.

He said: “Anytime I want to come to Edo Central, I try to go through the roads that are very bad to see and feel what you are going through. I want to assure you that our biggest challenge as a state is our road infrastructure, which is being challenged, as we will not keep quiet regarding what was a blessing, but has now turned into a curse.

“Edo is blessed because of its long stretch of interconnection of federal roads and I don’t think there is any state in the country that has interconnected federal roads like Edo State.

“We believe that what we are seeing is a signal to us that since the federal government has failed to repair its roads in Ekpoma, Irrua, Auchi and Benin, we must look for the roads we used before 1967 and 1973 and begin to rebuild those roads to connect our villages and communities.”

The failed portions on the bypass on the Benin-Sapele Road end to Ologbo and Sapele recently attracted the federal government’s attention after a tanker explosion at Koko-Ugbenu Junction in Delta State linking Edo State.

The palliative work on the road has commenced in the first phase and has brought succour to many motorists and commuters on the highway, particularly transporters.

Across the state capital, many other roads remain in dire need of rehabilitation, including Upper Sokponba, Benin-Agbor road and Benin-Auchi road, terminating at the Benin-Lagos Expressway.
The Benin-Lagos Expressway by the Ovia Bridge remains a sad story and has become a death trap, recording many accidents and loss of lives and property until government moved in to carry out rehabilitation works on the bridge to avert further carnage on the hitherto dreaded bridge.

Connecting Edo State from Akure, the Ondo State capital, into Benin City is no less easy, as the stretch of road is punctured with potholes from Sobe, Agbanikaka, Owan and Odiguetwe.
From Agbor in Delta State, the roads are not better from Ogoneki all the way to the by-pass and then into the state capital.

The Benin-Auchi-Okenne-Lokoja Highway is worst hit, as the bad portions begin from Urokhosa, near Benin City, all the way to Ewu, where there is respite of less than five kilometres into Agbede.
But from Agbede to Auchi, the bad portions are evident on the road, and from Okpella to Okene in Kogi State, the story is not palatable.

However,  the APC Chairman in Edo State, Col. David Imuse (rtd), has described the Obaseki-led PDP government’s alleged ineptitude to address infrastructural challenges, particularly failed roads in the state, as a clear lack of vision, responsibility and a disregard for the well-being of the people of the state.

Imuse said it was unacceptable that the governor would prioritise personal interests over the urgent need to address road infrastructure, among other areas of great importance to the people.

He maintained that the forthcoming governorship election would be pay-back time for the PDP and Obaseki, just as he assured of the APC-led federal government’s quick intervention on roads across the state.

He stated: “I can assure the people of Edo State that the APC-led federal government is committed to addressing the road infrastructure challenges in our state. We understand the frustrations that our citizens face on a daily basis and we are dedicated to finding a lasting solution, since the governor has abandoned his responsibility.

“It is disheartening to see such petty politics being played when the lives and safety of innocent Edo citizens, albeit Nigerians, are at stake. These actions demonstrate a clear lack of vision, irresponsibility, and a disregard for the well-being of the people of Edo State.

“The federal government is prioritising and undertaking the necessary repairs on the major federal roads in Edo State. The lives and well-being of Edo people, like that of all Nigerians, is too vital to be politicised, as Obaseki has been doing.

“We urge the people of Edo State not to be deceived by the propaganda and political games of the Obaseki administration. The burning question Edo people should ask Obaseki is what did he do with the N16billion refunded by the federal government to Edo State as money used by his predecessor to repair federal roads, coupled with the N21billion derivation funds?
“We must see through these falsehoods and hold Obaseki accountable for his failures. His lamentation is the last kick of a dying horse. The APC-led federal government remains committed to working for the betterment of Edo State and its citizens.”