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Tag: Godwin Obaseki

  • God will punish politicians who misuse power –Obaseki

    God will punish politicians who misuse power –Obaseki

    From the former Edo state governor Godwin Obaseki has come a stern warning to politicians: God will punish those of you who abuse power.

    He spoke in a video shared on his official X handle, where he reflected on leadership, governance and his years in office, stressing that politics should be about service, not personal enrichment.

    According to him, leaders who focus on building wealth for themselves and their inner circles after winning elections have betrayed both God and the electorate.

    Obaseki said: “If you are in politics just to get power, and when you get that power it is only for you, your friends and those close to you, then God will punish you.

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    “Power is given by God for a purpose. If God has given you power and you cannot use it to serve Him by serving the people and glorifying His name, then you have missed the essence of leadership.”

    The erstwhile state chief executive said he had no regrets about his tenure, insisting that every major decision he took was guided by the interest of Edo people.

    “I have no regrets about my time in office. If I am given another opportunity, I won’t change anything. In fact, I will do the same things even more, and I will do them quicker and faster,” he said.

    Obaseki noted that while his administration recorded achievements in several sectors, particularly education, he wished some reforms had started earlier to allow more time for their impact to be felt.

    “On education, for instance, I wish we had started some of the reforms earlier so that by the time we were leaving, people would have seen even more results,” he added.

    He also defended his decision to support a successor, describing it as a deliberate effort to sustain policies and reforms initiated by his government.

    “That is why we fought to bring in someone I know will continue. Everything I did was planned. All the actions I took were for the benefit of the people, not for myself,” Obaseki said.

    The former governor warned against the dismantling of programmes introduced by previous administrations, arguing that such actions only end up hurting ordinary citizens.

    “When I see people trying to destroy what we did, I say you are supposed to add to what you met, not destroy it,” he said.

    “You are not hurting me. If you remove health insurance or close hospitals, it is not me that will suffer. It may be your brother or sister tomorrow who will need treatment from that hospital you refused to open.”

    Obaseki further questioned the conscience of leaders who remain comfortable in power while citizens struggle to survive.

    “How can somebody gain power today, and sleep well and be happy, seeing that so many people are not able to eat and suffer? What is the purpose? Because God has given you power, you don’t see the purpose,” he said.

  • Ex-Governor Obaseki faults Okpebholo on MOWAA’s claim

    Ex-Governor Obaseki faults Okpebholo on MOWAA’s claim

    Edo State former Governor Godwin Obaseki has said dealings between the state government and Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) were contained in the over 800-page Transition Committee report prepared at the end of his tenure and handed over to Governor Monday Okpebholo.

    He said the report was handed over in soft and hard copies.

    Obaseki said statements by Okpebholo regarding MOWAA were false.

    The ex-governor in a statement signed by his media adviser, Crusoe Osagie, said Okpebholo and his transition team were invited to a Joint Transition Committee conference, but they withdrew after the inaugural sitting over non-payment of sitting allowances.

    He noted that the Transition Committee report, “if Okpebholo ever bothered to read it, contains details of the state government’s engagement with the MOWAA project.”

    On a claim by Governor Okpebholo that MOWAA was used to replace “a functioning hospital”, Obaseki said Edo citizens were aware of the derelict condition of the hospital, which prompted Adams Oshiomhole to build a new facility, on the same ground.

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    He said the new hospital was completed, fully equipped and opened to the public by his administration.

    According to him, “under the new Benin City master plan, which was legislated into law by the House of Assembly, with the new hospital operational and Stella Obasanjo Hospital rebuilt into a sprawling, modern medical hub, the defunct portions of the old Central Hospital were decommissioned, and the land was planned as a cultural district to accommodate spaces for more befitting public use, such as culture and entertainment.

    “It was Obaseki’s well-considered belief that a facility such as MOWAA, National Museum, Royal Museum, 1897 Memorial Arcade, Rain Forest Gallery, etc, should be situated in Benin City to promote tourism and attract visitors to the state.

    “We urge Okpebholo to desist from the unnecessary distortion of historical facts regarding this and other issues. Instead, he should tender unreserved and honest apology for his negligence and the resultant security breach, which has now created diplomatic problems for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

  • Court dismisses Shaibu’s N50b suit against ex-Governor Obaseki, others

    Court dismisses Shaibu’s N50b suit against ex-Governor Obaseki, others

    The Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday dismissed a N50 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Philip Shaibu, former deputy governor of Edo State, against ex-Governor Godwin Obaseki and others.

    Justice Peter Lifu, in a ruling, dismissed the suit following an application to withdraw the suit by Anita Oteh, who appeared for Shaibu.

    Upon resumed hearing in the matter, Oteh informed the court that parties in the suit had settled their differences, hence, the need to withdraw the suit.

    However, Aliyu Abdulkadir, who represented the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), the 4th defendants in the suit, told the court that he was not aware of the settlement.

    According to him, ‘’if there is any settlement, we should be informed so that we are well guided.’’

    “However, we are not opposed to the application for withdrawal and will also not be asking for a cost, but I will make a simple request,” he said.

    Abdulkadir then prayed the court to dismiss the suit.

    Oteh disagreed with Abdulkadir’s request, urging the court to grant their application for the withdrawal of the suit.

    Justice Lifu, in his ruling, held that having joined issues in the matter, the proper thing was to dismiss the case.

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    “In view of the fact that issues have been joined in this matter, this suit is hereby dismissed in its entirety,” he ruled.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Shaibu, in the writ of summons, had sued Edo State Governor; Inspector-General (I-G) of Police; Director, Department of State Services (DSS), AGF and Attorney General of Edo as 1st to 5th defendants.

    In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/914/2024 dated July 4, 2024 but filed on July 19, 2024 by his counsel, Egwuaba Reuben, Shaibu sought eight reliefs.

    The ex-deputy governor sought an order of the court awarding the sum of N50 billion to him for aggravated and exemplary damages against the defendants to be paid jointly for the illegal and unconstitutional violation of his fundamental rights.

    He also sought an order of perpetual injunction, restraining the defendants and their agents from further arresting or detaining him, repeating or continuing any act or further acts in violation of his fundamental rights on issues bordering on or connected to facts of the case without the leave of the court.

  • Ex-governor kicks against fraud allegation

    Ex-governor kicks against fraud allegation

    Former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has kicked against the N96 billion local government fraud allegation levelled against him and some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), particularly the 18 local government council chairmen by his successor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Obaseki, who spoke yesterday evening through his media adviser, Crusoe Osagie, described the allegation as another desperate attempt to justify Okpebholo’s unconstitutional onslaught on elected council officials.

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    Osagie said: “We have read with disdain a statement by Monday Okpebholo alleging that the elected 18 local government council chairmen in Edo State mismanaged N96 billion in another of Okpebholo’s frantic efforts to justify his unconstitutional onslaught on the elected leadership of the third tier of government.

    “What is most shocking about the statement is that Okpebholo appears to be completely oblivious of the fact that he does not have supervisory responsibility over the local governments, and can therefore not set up any investigation of government officials that are elected into office, just like him.

    “The 18 local government council chairmen in Edo State have a better claim to their democratic office than Okpebholo, whose election stands on a knife edge, with the election petitions tribunal preparing to deliver judgment in the September 21, 2024 governorship election, widely believed to have been rigged.

  • Okpebholo: Governor for the “mekunus”, “ndi-ogbenyes”, “talakawas” 

    Okpebholo: Governor for the “mekunus”, “ndi-ogbenyes”, “talakawas” 

    By John Mayaki 

    In Yoruba, they are called “mekunus”. In Igbo, they are known as “ndi-ogbenye”, and in Hausa, they are referred to as the “talakawas”. These are the poor masses, the have-nots, the hoi polloi, the proletariat, the downtrodden – the very people whom Governor Monday Okpebholo has become a father and defender. 

    Let’s not forget, so hurriedly too, how for the past 8 years, Edo state was governed by an administration that was more interested in impressing the elites, the well-heeled, the fixed, the well-off, the well-situated, the well-to-do and the prosperous, rather than addressing the suffering of ordinary citizens. 

    Former Governor Godwin Obaseki ran a government where consultants, private firms, and political aristocrats took centre stage, while civil servants, market women, farmers, and artisans were left to fend for themselves. It was a government that spoke the language of the wealthy and turned its back on the “mekunus”, the “ndi-ogbenyes” and the “talakawas”. 

    Thankfully though, Governor Okpebholo is rewriting and changing the narratives – since assuming office, he has championed policies and programs that directly benefits the people. For instance, his administration’s budget for health, agriculture, education, roads and infrastructure – the core areas that touches on the life of the ordinary man attests to his love for the poor. 

    The budgetary allocation for agriculture is somewhere around N70 billion – which of course is a clear indication of his drive towards the mekunus, the farmers, the talakawas and ndi-ogbenye. Unlike Obaseki, who was more fascinated with boardroom politics and slides presentations to deceive the people – Okpebholo is more interested in actual governance and real results. 

    Okpebholo’s agricultural funding is already doing wonders and empowering farmers and subsequently ensuring food affordability – if the funds are well managed by government and the beneficiaries. This is one aspect Obaseki failed to do, especially with his infamous “agriprenuer millionaire scheme” in Sobe and other parts of the state where the funds were simply embezzled. 

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    To further tell us of how Okpebholo is reinforcing his pro-people agenda, he has already disbursed N500 million to farmers and since approved the sum of N1.5 billion for farmers scheme within his three months in office. These are not the privileged elites among us that was picked as beneficiaries; they are the hardworking farmers, the backbone of our economy, and those whom Obaseki neglected and relegated.

    One of Okpebholo’s most decisive interventions was in market regulations. He took on the extortionist trade unions that had long exploited traders and consumers alike. After banning these groups, food prices dropped, and this immediately benefited the mekunus, the ndi-ogbenyes and talakawas. This is in contrast to the previous administration of Obaseki, which allowed cartels to flourish while the common man – the hoi polloi suffered.

    But perhaps Okpebholo’s boldest move yet was his reversal of the Central Hospital travesty. Under Obaseki, this all-important healthcare facility was converted into a museum – a playground for the well-heeled, a symbol of governance that prioritized aesthetics over human lives. Okpebholo, however, has restored the hospital to its rightful purpose: treating the sick, not showcasing relics to satisfy the vanity of the well-heeled. 

    On infrastructure, the difference is night and day. While Obaseki wasted years blaming the federal government for bad roads, Okpebholo rolled up his sleeves and got to work. The same roads Obaseki told Edo people to “manage” and be “patient” and to “bear with him”, are now being fixed – not for the rich who fly over potholes in their SUVs, but for the common man who commutes daily. Not for the prosperous few who fly from the Benin airport to Maitama in Abuja but for the hoi polloi who endure the gallops and dangers of the terrible roads under Obaseki to Gwagwalada in Abuja. 

    Okpebholo has also dismantled the consultant-driven governance model that drained state resources. He has disengaged all external consultants who operated as middlemen siphoning funds, returning control to the civil service. Even more significantly, he has converted casual sweepers who Obaseki kept in job insecurity for eight years into permanent civil servants and would now earn the minimum wage. 

    In education, Okpebholo’s increase in subvention to Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma was not a favor to the elite but a direct relief to struggling students and their parents. Contrast this with Obaseki’s obsession to punish the poor students and university by reducing their subvention to N40 million but Okpebholo has increased it to over N500 million. 

    Another defining trait of Okpebholo’s “governance of the poor, by the poor and for the poor” is his commitment to homegrown leadership. Unlike Obaseki, who had a penchant for importing strangers into government – technocrats who neither understood nor cared for Edo people; Okpebholo has appointed commissioners who are true sons and daughters of the state. These are people who have lived with us, worked with us, and understand our struggles.

    Governor Okpebholo is not just running a government; he is leading a movement – the one that places the talakawas, the mekunus, and the ndi-ogbenye at the heart of governance.

    His brand of politics is not about cocktail parties and elite conferences; it is about real governance, real policies, and the real people. He breathes politics, eats politics, acts politics, dances politics, speaks politics, and practices politics – but all in service of the common man.

    For eight years, Edo State endured a government of the wealthy, for the wealthy, and by the wealthy. Today, under Okpebholo, we finally have a government of the people, for the people, and by the people.

  • Obaseki left N682billion debt, says report

    Obaseki left N682billion debt, says report

    The administration of the immediate past Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki left over N682billion debt for Governor Monday Okpebholo.

     Obaseki inherited N84billion liabilities from the previous government of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in 2016. The state’s debt profile now is 900% higher than what he inherited from Oshiomhole’s administration.

    Also, of a $75million World Bank fund for the primary education in the state under the Edo BEST programme, only $5m came directly to the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

    About 93% of the remaining $70million was directly managed by the Office of the Governor under an arrangement referred to as Performance for Result.

    These findings were in the report of the Edo State Assets Verification Committee , which was inaugurated on  November 26, 2024 and chaired by Dr. Afolabi Ernest Umakhike.

     Umakhike with 16 other members have submitted the committee’s final report to Governor Okpebholo.

     It alleged that Obaseki’s government had no financial discipline.

     The committe said the previous government handed over debt amounting to N682,565,164,814. 55.

    The committee observed that Obaseki’s government hurriedly embarked on a last-minute recruitment of over 4,000 teachers in November 2024.

     The committee also found out that while Edo State collected  $75million for basic education reforms, most schools in the state lacked teachers and basic infrastructure such as water, toilets. It said it discovered that no school feeding programme took place in the state.

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     The report said: “That the previous government handed over a whopping liability (debt) amounting to Six Hundred and Eighty-Two Billion, Five Hundred and Sixty-Five Million, One Hundred and Sixty-Four Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fourteen Naira, Fifty-Five Kobo only (N682, 565, 164,814. 55).

     “This is 900% higher than what he inherited from the previous government headed by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole put at N84billion in 2016.

     This is outrageous and shows a lack of financial discipline by the Obaseki-led administration.”

     On the education project, the committee stated: “On Edo BEST programme sponsored by the World Bank, the committee found out that of the $75million meant for basic education reforms and renovation of schools from the World Bank, only $5m came directly to SUBEB, the commission charged with the responsibility of implementation, while the remaining 93% of $70m was directly managed by the Governor under an arrangement referred to as Performance for Result.

     “The SUBEB staff complained that out of the $5million allocated to them only $2.5million was accessed before the project came to a close.

     “The state didn’t derive value from this project as the priority of the people of the state was how to fill the school infrastructure gap, teacher recruitment, security of pupils and hygiene, while a whopping sum of $75million was purportedly expended on procurement of tablets.”

     The committee faulted some expenditures like over N22billion on ICT for E-GOV; N967million on supervision (consultancy) for Stella Obasanjo Hospital; and the N19billion raised from the capital market for a hotel.

    It said: “On Information and Communication Technology (ICT), it was noted that the past government awarded a total of 22 contracts totalling N22billion on ICT-related activities within the last few years of the government to 18 different companies and over N17billion had been paid as at November 2024, most of these contracts were either for the deployment of E-GOV platform or data centre construction.

     “The committee frowns at non-state actors controlling the back end of the E-Gov platform while the state expends billions on consultancy services.

     Further forensic investigation has been advised.

     “The people of Edo State didn’t derive value for money from these ICT jobs and they appeared shady.

     “On Stella Obasanjo Hospital project consultancy, the erstwhile government awarded the supervision (Consultancy) of the Stella Obasanjo hospital project to a company at the original sum of N427m in December 2022, eight months later on the 2nd of August 2023, the contract was increased by N300m to N727million and 10 months later on the 3rd of July 2024 few weeks to the election the same job was increased by N200million totalling the sum of N967million – almost a billion naira for supervision of the renovation of the hospital.

     “Committee notes that this assignment is not the main construction itself or even the purchase of equipment.

    The curious part of this job is that for an amount of such magnitude, the procurement process was selective tendering method and restricted to only one company and never advertised for the general public to participate.”

    On a hotel, the committee found that while “Edo State has committed over N19billion (N2billion for land purchase and N17billion raised from the capital market) of its own funds to the construction of the hotel including purchase of the original property, the erstwhile government under Godwin Obaseki ceded away 80% of the ownership of the hotel to a strange company registered in 2024 while Edo retained 20%.

     “Available documents tendered by the Ministry of Finance showed that at the time the agreement was reached, the said company had not committed one kobo to the hotel project.

    “Assuming but not conceding that the company purportedly paid the sum of N10billion into an escrow account towards the end of that government, the ratio of ownership of the hotel will still be in the range of 70% in favour of Edo State and against 30%.”

    On Edo Investment in Edo Modular Refinery Company, the committee stated that it found that Edo State government approved and transferred the sum of N700million to a private company to assist in the establishment of the Modular Refinery in Ologbo.

    The committee said: “The company returned the money after some years to the government without converting it to equity as expected.

    The committee is curious as to what sort of partnership it is. Secondly, the money which was ordinarily sourced from EDSOPADEC has not been returned to the accounts of the commission to date; rather, it was curiously diverted elsewhere.

    The Commission pleaded with the committee to assist in retrieving their funds back to their accounts.”

    Among other findings, there were incidences of vehicle suppliers being paid 100 per cent for the supply of armoured vehicles but not supplied to the government and incidences of eloping with government vehicles. “These infractions have been recommended for criminal prosecution by relevant agencies”, the committee added.

     It also observed that there were variations of contracts from 50 per cent and above, which were a deviation from the procurement law that stipulates not more than 25 per cent for a project, which must be justified.

     “Following the discovery, the committee recommended forensic analysis and investigation on ownership of companies, enterprises, and properties in Abuja, Lagos and other locations where Edo State had prior interest before Godwin Obaseki’s tenure.

    “Other recommendations are; prosecution of indicated ex -officials, blacklisting of indicted companies and full prosecution of contractors that ran foul of the laws of the state, termination of shady contracts, MoUs and other controversial arrangements by the erstwhile Government.

    “The committee also demands a full investigation of the Edo BEST program, particularly the utilization of the $75m from the World Bank,” it said.

  • Obaseki kicks over assets’ verification report

    Obaseki kicks over assets’ verification report

    The immediate Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki has kicked over the assets’ verification report submitted to Governor Monday Okpebholo. 

    He alleged the report is filled with deliberate falsehood and malicious data to malign his administration.

    Obaseki spoke through his media aide, Crusoe Osagie.

    The former Governor said: “It has come to our notice that the Assets’ Verification Committee set up by the Senator Monday Okpebholo-led government has completed its report and handed same to the state government. 

    “We have been able to decipher some of the points raised in the report, all of which have revealed that the committee was only a witch-hunt set up with an agenda to deliberately falsify facts and malign the good image of the immediate past government of His Excellency, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.

    “Every asset and transaction carried out during the Obaseki’s administration is contained, with detailed explanations and data, in the transition committee’s report, which was put together by the Obaseki government and handed over to the Okpebholo-led administration, just before they took over office.

    “It is therefore disturbing to find that, despite having the facts and data concerning everything the committee set out to verify in the transition document, they have still gone ahead to falsify the facts to malign the image of Obaseki and misinform the public. We calling on the public to disregard the lies and kindly refer to the transition report, which is now a public document.”

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    He also urged all Edo residents, and indeed all Nigerians, to go into the transition report, trace any transaction being discussed, and find all the details therein, while they could equally approach the state government through the Freedom of Information Act to request relevant documents related to what was stated in the transition report.

    According to him: “It is more productive for a government to deal with facts rather than contrived data and since the primary responsibility of any government is to serve the people and improve their lives, it is these facts and verified data that will help drive meaningful progress and prosperity, not fiction or contrived data.” 

    He urged Okpebholo and his administration to focus on the facts and verified data and stop spreading falsehood. 

  • Obaseki’s ‘wickedness’

    Obaseki’s ‘wickedness’

    It can be said that the “evil” done by the immediate past governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, lived after him, following the accusation that because of “petty political reasons” he “wickedly” refused to distribute books donated to public schools in the state by President Bola Tinubu.

    In his second term from 2020 to 2024, Obaseki had governed the state under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).  Tinubu is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Interestingly, Obaseki had governed the state as an APC member during his first term from 2016 to 2020. 

    Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo of the APC, while launching a state-wide initiative to remodel public schools, noted that a warehouse was “filled with books,” and accused Obaseki of “wickedness,” saying, “These books you see here were donated by the President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, for use by Edo children, but the immediate past administration did not distribute them to our children because the President’s face is printed on the books.”

    Okpebholo visited New Era College in Benin City, a special school for young athletes built by the late Samuel Ogbemudia, former governor of old Bendel State. He said: “We just entered the classroom where our children were taught sitting on the floor… The former governor refused Edo children the use of these books provided by the President, but he could not provide seats for the children to sit comfortably while learning.” He observed that the state of the school facilities “is deplorable,” adding that Obaseki “failed to invest in the development of the state’s education system.”

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    He directed that the books be distributed across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state, stressing that his administration is “committed to renovating this school, and within the next few weeks, you will begin to see significant improvements.”

    It is unclear when Tinubu donated the books and what kind of books they are. It is also unclear how long Obaseki kept the books away from the schools they were meant for.  But Okpebholo’s order that they should be distributed to schools in the state means that they are still useful.

    The President’s face printed on the books may suggest that the donation was politically motivated, considering that Tinubu belonged to a rival political party. However, it can be argued that the former governor could have made such a donation pointless if he had developed education significantly in the state.  It can be said that Tinubu’s donation was meant to fill a need. 

    Obaseki has not responded to the accusation. It seems that he allowed political rivalry to make him work against the greater interest of the state.  He should not have sacrificed the interest of innocent school children on the altar of politics. 

  • I’m not afraid of EFCC probe – Obaseki

    I’m not afraid of EFCC probe – Obaseki

    Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki said he is ready to willingly submit to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) if the anti-graft agency would need him to render account for his eight-year tenure.

    Obaseki spoke to reporters on the sideline of EdoBEST National Results-Sharing Session in Abuja, an event held to showcase his achievements in the last eight years, especially in the education sector.

    He maintained that he is not afraid of EFCC, noting that he would gladly turn himself over to them if his attention is needed.

    He said: “I hear that the EFCC will pick me next week after my tenure. Wherever they keep me, I’ll spend time doing research.

    “There are many things we have done that can be described as legacy projects. I believe in Edo State. One of the things that will last for a very long time to come is the fact that we were able to focus on Edo people and the things that matter to them, reform and implement those things.

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    “Why should I have fears? I just focused on what I believe in and today, you can see what has been achieved. What happens after that is not up to me. They can continue with their political witch hunt and do all they can to hurt me, that’s their problem.

    “I’m not afraid, I’m not worried. They have written all sorts of silly petitions against me and that’s part of the challenge. In fact, I can even hand myself over, and if they call me, I don’t have anything to hide.

    “You know how this country is, it is all about bitterness, it is all about vendetta, wickedness and people who have opposed to me in Edo State are cruel, very wicked people, very jealous and envious and this is because they cannot show as much as the achievements we have made in the past eight years.

    “But what is important is us to focus on our people in order to make Nigeria better because the suffering is too much. We have the advantage and privilege to make things happen. So, we should focus on issues and not on vendetta.

    “Reforming the bureaucracy is a priority, we focused on the people and the civil servants.”

  • Edo govt, APC clash over conversion of governor’s SSAs, SAs to civil servants

    Edo govt, APC clash over conversion of governor’s SSAs, SAs to civil servants

    Edo State Government and the state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday clashed over the decision of the outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki to convert his Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and Special Assistants (SAs) into full-time civil servants.

    Edo APC, through a member of its transition committee, Kassim Afegbua, a former commissioner for Information, said Obaseki added 186 of such appointees in September to the already bloated number of aides around him, and had just begun the process of absorbing another 152 aides to compound the problem.

    Afegbua said: “The interview is ongoing in Benin City, as part of efforts to overburden the incoming administration with huge recurrent expenditure, aware that the state is already bugged down by huge debts burden. Obaseki, for eight years, refused to recruit civil servants to fill up vacant positions and energise the civil service.’’

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    Obaseki’s Special Adviser on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, however, said employment into Edo public service, since the outset of the Obaseki-led administration, had focused on serving the people.

    He said: “We are unfortunately seeing a disturbing trend from the APC, even before they assume government position. They have started making spurious claims that the state is overburdened by debt, and are now threatening that they will sack workers.’’

    Afegbua said the claim that Edo government was employing workers was misguided, noting that the administration started engaging new workers across spectra of governance over six years ago, a fact he insisted could be confirmed by civil servants in Edo State.