AUCHI, EDO STATE – As the economic climate in Nigeria continues to demand visionary leadership, a growing chorus of voices in Edo North is questioning the legislative legacy of Senator Adams Oshiomhole. Critics are sounding the alarm that the Senator’s reliance on “palliative politics”—short-term handouts rather than sustainable development—is weaponizing poverty and keeping the district in a state of perpetual dependency.
In a scathing assessment of the Senator’s performance, stakeholders have pointed to the contrasting representation in neighboring districts. While Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central has gained national acclaim for launching high-impact initiatives—including electric vehicle training, scholarship funds, and robust health infrastructure—Edo North appears to be stuck in a cycle of “tokenism.”
The “Stalin’s Chicken” Analogy
The core of the discontent lies in the nature of Oshiomhole’s constituency projects. Observers note that while the Senator continues to distribute motorcycles, grinding machines, and sewing machines, these items offer only temporary relief and fail to address the root causes of underdevelopment.
”This approach mirrors the infamous anecdote attributed to Joseph Stalin,” writes Iyamah Prince in a recent commentary. “He plucked a live chicken bare, then scattered a few grains of feed. Bleeding and traumatized, the chicken still followed him loyally, dependent on its tormentor for mere survival. In Edo North, our people are that chicken—stripped of true opportunities, yet expected to remain loyal for just enough crumbs to stay alive.”
A Demand for “Purposeful Representation”
The outcry comes at a time when the district is grappling with out-of-school children, rising insecurity, and a lack of modern technical skills among the youth. The Standard Daily Press gathered that many constituents are now demanding a shift toward “Progress over Palliatives.”
The specific areas where Oshiomhole is being urged to refocus include:
Human Capacity Building: Moving beyond “grinding machines” to ICT hubs and advanced vocational training.
Security & Health: Investing in modern surveillance equipment and the upgrading of primary healthcare centers.
Educational Productivity: Structured programs to return out-of-school children to classrooms and productive trades.
Comparative Leadership
The comparison with Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has become a recurring theme in the district’s political discourse. Her “Kogi Central People’s Company” model, which manages community assets and reinvests profits into scholarships and welfare, is being cited as the “gold standard” for what a modern Senator can achieve.
”Edo North deserves better,” the statement continues. “True leadership invests in people, not in controlling them through minimal aid. A thriving district starts with demanding purposeful, visionary representation—not palliative politics.”
Oshiomhole Camp Reacts
In a brief response, associates of the Senator have dismissed these criticisms as “politically motivated,” maintaining that the Comrade Senator remains the most accessible representative the district has ever had. They argue that the distributed items provide immediate economic lifelines for the most vulnerable in a tough economy.
However, as the 2027 political cycle begins to loom on the horizon, the question for Edo North remains: Will the district continue to follow the “grains of feed,” or will it demand the wings to fly on its own?
