The Edo N’Okpa Movement, an organization based in Benin, has cautioned voters in Edo State against being swayed by the recent announcement of a N70,000 minimum wage by the state government.
The group criticized Governor Godwin Obaseki’s move, labeling the new salary package as a tactic aimed at garnering votes for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the governorship election scheduled for September 21, 2024. Emphasizing the need for Edo workers not to compromise their votes, the movement also urged youths to exercise caution, warning that politicians might exploit them to perpetrate violence during the election.
In a statement released in Benin, the state capital, and shared with journalists in Abuja and Lagos, the Edo N’Okpa Movement dismissed the N70,000 minimum wage as a form of vote-buying. Mr. Emovon Osaretin, the group’s national convener, accused Governor Obaseki of employing similar tactics in the past, such as initiating road projects shortly before elections only to abandon them afterward.
Osaretin questioned the rationale behind the N70,000 minimum wage, especially considering Governor Obaseki’s administration’s failure to effectively implement the previous N40,000 minimum wage, resulting in many workers being owed up to six months in arrears.
Skeptical of the governor’s motives, Osaretin suggested that the wage increase might be a ploy to create challenges for the next administration, particularly since Obaseki’s preferred PDP gubernatorial candidate, Asue Ighodalo, is unlikely to win the election in Edo State.
The group also highlighted the stalled progress of the Benin-Ugo-Abraka Road, a project initiated in 2016, which they claimed Governor Obaseki tends to prioritize only during election seasons, despite minimal progress being made since its inception.
Expressing frustration over the repeated cycle of promises and inaction, the Edo N’Okpa Movement warned that the latest wage announcement and infrastructure initiatives were likely temporary strategies aimed at securing political support and urged citizens to remain vigilant.
