Hon. Charity Aiguobarueghian made several controversial statements while on Rhythm Radio, Benin.

One of them relates to his postulation that exonerated Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State from all blames connected with the economic hardship in Edo and NIgeria as a whole. I criticized him for the misinformation.

There is another controversial pronouncement made by the lawmaker in Edo Assembly. Let me paraphrase him: 'Obaseki has secured a licence from the National Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC) to generate, transmit and distribute electricity within the state. This action is commendable. Because by it Edo is now the first subnational government to get the licence. What he will do in the assembly is to pass the bill giving legal backing to the government to operate the licence. Following this development, Edo people should expect the delivery of electricity to them. Okpebholo does not understand these matters. So, I am not surprised that he is criticizing the issue.'

Honourable, your calculation about PDP electrifying Edo State using the licence given to your party by NERC is a subtle campaign for voters to support the gubernatorial candidature of Asue Ighodalo built on continuity of Obaseki's policies.

The campaign does not fly. Asue Ighodalo is the alter ego of Obaseki. Or, to put it in a clearer perspective, Asue Ighodalo is the defacto chief economic adviser to Obaseki. Therefore, he is a part of the team that birthed Ossiomo Power Plc in Edo State on the platform of Public Private Partnership (PPP). Sadly enough, Ossiomo Power is not working out well. If this is the case, I do not see how using NERC licence to take power to all Edo Statè.

I boldly say this because Ossiomo Power - a legacy project of the Obaseki administration is a complete failure being even unable yo deliver safe electricity in Benin City, the state capital in the first instance. As a proof of this assertion i will now provide some angry public criticisms of Ossiomo Power performance evaluation.

Firstly, let me start with my own observation. In 2020, the company was progressively lighting up government buildings and some Benin streets.

Length of area covered is not up to 200 kilometers as claimed by the PDP administration. All that is media propaganda for which the government has won devera laurels. Over there in Abia State, Governor Alex Otti and Prof Barth Nnaji thrown out by the PDP administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan are giving the Enyimba capital city of Aba light without paid, slush media razmatazz.

Another issue, when the Ossiomo Power in 2020 was supplying light to government buildings, its host Ologbo community was not given light in line with extant corporate social responsibility.

Ossiomo Power only reluctantly did so believing that the company should only give light to people and communities that can pay Obasekian high electricity tariffs. Obayantor also got light.

Later, something dramatic happened!! Dr. Uwa Igiehon, the managing director of Ossiomo Power in collaboration with the PDP administration of Obaseki commissioned a 40 mega watts independent power plant expected to supply light to the unproductive Benin Industrial And Enterprise Park at Iyanomo. (Nigerian Observer January 4, 2023).

Till date, the park after its groundbreaking in 2017 is still at a beggarly foundation level despite all the wind song noise that it is progressing. Infact the move to install the 40 mega watt is a ploy to entice investors to the park.

Earlier on for the some reasòn, the government relocated 50 percent of its equity stake in Azura Power Plant to the Benin Industrial And Enterprise Park. Still, no show.

Now, let us go to what the members of the publc say abòut Ossiomo.

Ovoke notes: 'Ossiomo Power now rations light. Some streets get light today, others tommorrow. Meanwhile?, the government promised in its Operation Light-Up Edo that the company will provide light daily." (Area Parliament August 9, 2023)

Onyemechi aka De Senator, a professional comedian and radio presenter observes: "About half of Ossiomo street lights have not been working. Infact, the street lights around Stadium Road, Benin are not functioning. Because the armoured cable was stolen. Despite reports to government, the area remained in darkness. But because of the CAF match on August 19, 2023 between Bendel Insurance and Algeria in a first round encounter, the armoured cable was restored. Street lights on Stadium Road began to work again."

Pemperempe, is a crew member of Man Around Town, Independent Radio, Benin. He laments on November 30, 2023: "Since Ossiomo street lights were installed from Akpakpava down to Ikpoba Hill, it has only functioned on two occasions"

Raphael from Etete Area of Benin Metropolis in his comment says of Ossiomo street light: "Since November 2023 the street light from Nosco Area to Agip on Sapele Road in Benin City have packed up. They have stopped working. In some parts of the city, the aluminium poles used for the street lights have been blown down by the wind. (Area Parliament, Rhythm Radio, Benin, December 1, 2023)

Read late Mr. Kingsley Osayuwa, a presenter of Independent Radio, Benin on December 8, 2023 angrily points out: "Several of the underground cables laid by Ossiomo Power while working on Benin street lights are now exposed. Because they are not properly done. Hot weather and passing vehicles have eroded the coatings of the cable. So, the wires on the cables are exposed. If the wires bridge, there will be fires."

A male phone-in caller from Shoemakers Directorate, Benin to Man Around Town Programme of Independent Radio, Benin on February 5, 2024 reveals that all the street lights on TV Road, Benin installed not long ago have gone bad now for months"

Another caller estimates that over 70 percent of Ossiomo underground cable in Benin Metropolis are dangerously exposed. He also the MOU between Ossiomo Power Company and Edo State Government is for the rich as the poor cannot afford Ossiomo electricity costs.

He explains: "Governor Slex Otti of Sbia Dtate gives cheap electricity to his people. But over here in Edo State, Ossiomo Power is for the rich.

A single-phase meter costs N400,000. Recently, the power company raised the cost of a unit of energy from N40 to N140 even without prior notice." (Rythmn Radio, Benin...March 27, 2024).

After a weekly executive council meeting Mr Crusoe Osagie, special adviser on media projects to Governor Godwin Obaseki told the press that Edo Production Centre, Benin has been connected to Ossiomo electricity as reported in the Vanguard of September 22, 2019.

Mr. Ambrose Asoro, the anchor of Area Parliament Programme of Rhythm Radio, Benin, was recently at Edo Production Centre, Benin on May 17,2024.

His finding: "I discovered that the centre with micro and small-scale enterprises has not got Ossiomo light since 2023 last year."

Long pause i have gone this far to show with concrete facts that the Ossiomo Power given to Edo people by the triangular leadership of Godwin Obaseki, Asue Ighodalo and Osarodion Ogie is a monumental catastrophe.

Therefore, it is unacceptable for Honourable Charity Aihuobarueghian to give us hope that with NERC License backed by legislation will provide light for all Edo State. Dat na PDP propaganda again by the majority leader in Edo house of assembly.

So, Senator Monday Okpebholo, the APC gubernatorial candidate was in order to criticize the PDP porous electricity plan. Nemo dat quod non habet. Yes, thou cannot give what you don't have.