Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has sworn in his commissioners and special advisers at a ceremony in Benin City, the state capital. The State Executive Council is a mixed-grill of politicians and technocrats. Correspondent OSAGIE OTABOR reports.
There is disquiet among leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State over the appointment of commissioners’ and special advisers by Governor Godwin Obaseki. The 18 commissioners were appointed seven months after the governor was sworn-in.
Obaseki had earlier appointed 192 special assistants representing each ward in the state, 54 senior special assistants comprising three persons from each local government areas and seven special advisers. The guidelines spelt out for the political appointees were that they must be graduates, must have won their units in the governorship election and must have attended 50 per cent party ward meetings. The selection of the appointees was done by the political party from the ward to the local government level. After they were screened by party leaders, a committee headed by Professor Dennis Agbonlahor also screened them before the final selection was made.
Two of the nominees served in Comrade Adams Oshiomhole administration while six others served as either Senior Special Assistants or Executive Director to Oshiomhole.
A cursory look at the names submitted to the House of Assembly showed that those that made the final list were bankers, farmers, lawyers and engineers. Some APC leaders who expressed reservations over the nomination said they expected more technocrats and new faces than known politicians, owing to the criteria set out by Obaseki. They said they trusted the governor’s decision.
From Akoko-Edo local government, Prince Yekini Idaiyi was picked. Prince Idaiyi is from the royal family of Somorika. He is a politician and staunch member of the APC.
Paul Ohonbamu, a lawyer from Egor local government was in the House of Assembly between 2007 and 2015. He failed in his bid to go the National Assembly. He lost the candidate of the PDP, Hon Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma. Ohonbamu was a Director in the Transition Monitoring Group and once headed the Civil Liberty Organisation in the state. His nomination was opposed by leaders in his locality, but his resolve to remain in the APC at a time the PDP was alleged to have dangled N70m before the lawmakers with a view to impeach Oshiomhole was said to have helped him scaled through.
In Ovia South West, Hon Christopher Adesotu was nominated. Hon Adesotu is a retired teacher. He was the Deputy Chairman of the PDP, until few days to the September 28 governorship election when he joined the APC. Adesotu served as a council chairman for two terms. He was also a lawmaker in the House of Assembly. Some APC leaders in Ovia South West were said to have kicked against his nomination because he recenlty defected to the APC, but others argued that he was an APC member before the election.
Not much is known about Mrs. Magdalene Ohenhen, who was nominated from Esan South East. Emmanuel Usoh who was nominated from Esan North East is a former Director of the Edo Inland Revenue Services. Usoh was a member of the EIRS team, whose efforts led to a tremendous increase in the state IGR.
The nomination of Mr. Jimoh Ijegbai from Owan East has been described as one of the best. This is because Ijegbai distinguished himself as the chairman of Owan West. Under him, the IGR of Owan West grew from N1m to N20m monthly. When other local councils had difficulty in paying of salaries due to the drop in federal allocations, Ijegbai ensured salaries were paid and projects executed.
Mr. Joseph Ugheoke from Estako Central was one of the commissioners that served under Oshiomhole. He once served as Chairman of Estako East when he was a member of the PDP. His detractors claimed he didn’t performed well as a council chairman but his supporters said he executed many projects.
The nominee from Estako West is Mariam Abubakar. She worked as a marketer in several banks before venturing into politics. According to her profile pasted on the social media, she has won many awards, including Zenith bank’s best new breed staff of the year, the highest deposit mobilization staff” for South South region. She has worked quietly for the success of the APC in Estako West.
Mikainu Amanokhai was nominated from Estako East. He was one of those considered as a member of Oshiomhole’s kitchen cabinet. Before Oshiomhole came to power, not much was known about him. He served as Senior Special Assistant (Government House) and Special Adviser (Government House and Protocol) between 2008 and 2016. He also served as Secretary of Edo State Sports Development Committee.
From Ovia North East local government, Monday Osaigbovo, a former council chairman, was picked. Since his tenure expired as council chairman, Monday has engaged in farming and grassroots politicking.
Osazee Ero is nominated Orhionmwon local government. He served as Executive Director, Project Monitoring in the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Commission.
Uhunmwode local government produced Dr. David Osarumwense Osifo, a Consultant Surgeon and lecturer in Clinical Medicine, University of Benin. He served as Chairman, Governing Council of the Edo State College of Agriculture from 2009 to 2012.
Emmanuel Agbale was nominated from Esan Central. He was a former council chairman under the PDP before he defected to the APC.
Another former commissioner under Oshiomhole that was re-nominated is Mr. Osagie Inegbedion from Igueben. Inegbedion served as Commissioner for Finance and he is believed to be a close ally of Obaseki.
Prof. Yinka Omorogbe was nominated from Oredo local government. She was the Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan and a former Secretary of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). She is also the Convener of Edo Women Development Initiative. Omorogbe is Nigeria’s first Professor of Oil and Gas Law and Member of the International Advisory Board of the Umaru Shinkafi Centre for Africa Extractive Policy Research. She is a Research Professor at the Nigeria Institute of Advance Legal Studies.
Edorodion Oye Erimona from Ikpoba-Okha is said to be the youngest among the nominees. Not much is known about him.
Reginald Okun, who was nominated from Owan West, won election as the Vice Chairman of Owan West local government. He emerged the council chairman in 2015 after the removal of his boss, Mr. Godwin Aigbodion by Governor Oshiomhole.
Amiolemen Osahon is the nominee from Esan West. He is a Civil Engineer and Consultant by profession. Not much is known about his previous political activities.
Obaseki has listed his administration’s priorities areas to be focused on are institutional reforms, economic revolution, culture and tourism, Environmental Sustainability, Social Welfare and Infrastructural Development. Several workshops have been held on developing a road for the focused areas to be achieved.
Besides, Obaseki said his administration would ensure adequate data gathering, careful planning, enforcement, implementation and execution. He vowed to carry out periodic evaluation of those to be appointed. The next few months will tell if these nominees would actually fit into the shoes Obaseki prepared for them.
