Obaseki, Shaibu and challenge of second term

The inauguration of Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, which took place on November 12, was low-keyed. Nevertheless, it provided an ample opportunity for the governor to elaborate on his agenda for the second term. Southsouth Bureau Chief BISI OLANIYI reports

 

THE Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State is still celebrating the inauguration of Governor Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, for the second term. Although the event was low-keyed, there were reception parties for PDP members and another for indigenes in all the 18 local government headquarters.

Speaking during one of such celebrations in his hometown of Ewohimi, Esan Southeast Local Government Area, Kenneth Imasuagbon assured the people that Obaseki would fulfil his campaign promises. Imasuagbon, a former governorship aspirant on the PDP platform, is apparently positioning himself to take over from Obaseki in 2024 when the governorship seat is expected to be zoned to Edo Central. He had stepped down for Obaseki prior to the party’s primary. He is fondly called “Rice Man” in view of his regular distribution of free rice to Edo residents.

There were a host of activities to mark the November 12 inauguration. For example, it was an opportunity for Obaseki to woo the youth to support his administration. On November 11, during the Edo Youth Summit, with the theme: “Our Youth and the MEGA Agenda,’ held at the New Festival Hall in Government House, Benin, the state capital, the governor said the youths will be the priority of his government because they are in the majority. He assured that his administration would continue to provide opportunities for young people in Edo to thrive and advance policies and programmes to place the state on a sustainable path for economic prosperity.

The youth summit, which had 300 youths physically in attendance and over 2,500 others joining via virtual platforms from the 18 local governments, was part of events lined up for this year’s Alaghodaro Investment Summit. The event also featured a special question and answer session, tagged: “Fire Side Chat With His Excellency, Mr. Godwin Obaseki,” which afforded young entrepreneurs the opportunity to rub minds with the governor on challenges and prospects in their state’s economy, identifying workable strategies to grow businesses and drive productivity.

Obaseki said: “Government is set up to help the people; government does not exist for itself and because about 67 per cent of the people who live in Edo state are under the age of 35, the youths must be the priority of our government because they are in the majority. Our focus in the next four years is on the young people of Edo State. We are not going to do this by giving you handouts or expanding the government to make everybody an appointee.

“We are going to do it by making sure that the government is efficient and accountable to you and that the taxes we raise from you are judiciously spent to provide the conducive environment to do business. The reason you (young people) came out en masse to vote for us (on September 19 this year, for his re-election) is because you want us to create a better life for you. The only way we can do that is for us all to have a working relationship, as we do not have all the solutions. The solutions will come from you.

“All we can do is to open up the government, so that you can be heard; so that you can reach us. The fastest and best way to do this is to emphasise technology. If Edo is going to be great again, then it is the young people that must make it happen.”

The Edo governor also reassured farmers that his administration would work to reduce the risk in agriculture to attract genuine farmers to the sector to boost food production.

Obaseki assured that before his last year in office, Edo state government would not have physical files again but would run an e-government.

In the evening of November 11, Obaseki dissolved his cabinet at a valedictory executive council session at the Government House, Benin, while expressing appreciation to the outgone council members for their selfless service to Edo state.

He said: “Since I became governor, I did not sack any commissioner, but rather they sacked me by resigning from my cabinet. What is important in government are the core values of truth, justice and fairness. When elected to serve the people, let us truly serve the people because we will give account to God. I cannot claim success alone. What I did was to create the opportunity for you to serve.”

On November 13, during the 4th edition of the Alaghodaro Investment Summit at Government House, Benin, Obaseki stated that he was committed to restoring the state as the arts and cultural capital of Nigeria, in his quest to Making Edo Great Again (MEGA).

He gave an assurance that his administration would deploy technology and employ younger professionals into the state’s civil service, in order to drive inclusive development and ensure a sustainable future for Edo.

The Edo governor also unveiled plans for the Edo Museum of West African Arts (EMOWAA) and the establishment of the Legacy Restoration Trust, which he said would manage the $4 million donated by the British Museum for the project, while promising Edo people that he would focus on developing the state and restoring its heritage.

Obaseki also urged the former members of his cabinet to continue to work and support his administration. On November 14, he re-appointed Osarodion Ogie, a lawyer, as the Secretary to Edo State Government (SSG). He declared that Ogie’s would be the only political appointment to be made for now, with all other appointments deferred to the first week of February 2021.

The second term inauguration of Obaseki and Shaibu was almost marred by the collapse of the governor’s Aide-de-Camp (ADC), who was in ceremonial police uniform, while standing behind his boss, and slumping of a female para-military officer, also in uniform (names withheld), during the colourful event at the Lawn Tennis Court of Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, thereby causing a commotion.

The collapse on the podium of the ADC, a Superintendent of Police (SP), and that of the female officer, happened around 12 noon. The ADC, who stood directly behind the newly-inaugurated governor, suddenly started wobbling, before he collapsed. The para-military officer also slumped, as Obaseki made to inspect the guard of honour, but she was quickly revived. On the other hand, the ADC collapsed while Obaseki was midway into reading his seven-page inaugural speech.

The immediate Edo Commissioner for Health, Dr. Patrick Okundia, and some operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), quickly lifted the ADC and immediately rushed him to an undisclosed hospital.

Obaseki’s speech tagged: “Consolidating Progress” was preceded by oath-taking by the governor and his deputy, which was performed by the Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Esther Edigin.

The inauguration was attended by the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant, Edobor Iyamu; the Governors of Sokoto and Bayelsa States, Aminu Tambuwal and Douye Diri respectively; the Chairman of Southsouth Governors’ Forum, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, who is the Governor of Delta State; and his counterpart from Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo.

Also in attendance were Health Minister, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; the PDP National Vice-Chairman (Southsouth), Chief Dan Orbih; the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Prof. Lilian Salami; the Speaker Edo House of Assembly, Marcus Onobun; and Edo Chairman of PDP, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi; among others.

Obaseki, in his seven-page inaugural speech, stated that it was time to heal while stating that his government was committed to working for every Edo citizen and lifting their wellbeing by ensuring that the state would grow into a globally-competitive economy, enabled by technology, for the benefit of all the citizens.

He said: “This is the time to heal. We are kith and kin with a common destiny. Let us now stop dwelling in the past. It is now time to take our collective destinies in our own hands as Edo people and commence the arduous task of Making Edo Great Again (MEGA).

“Together, as a people propelled by a common zeal in pursuit of progress and advancement, there is nothing that we cannot overcome if we have a consensus on how to move our state forward. What we need is what I call a unity template, with which to overcome our challenges. The unity template has the ability to help us respond to the economic consequences of the pandemic, to deal with our challenges of insecurity and underdevelopment and to put us on a path to Making Edo Great Again (MEGA).

“The social contract between government and the people, which you redefined in the last election (of September 19 this year), calls for trust and reciprocity. We do not claim to have the solutions to all our problems. What we guarantee you, my dear people of Edo people, is that we will provide value for your money, by utilising it judiciously, transparently and with accountability.

“Your government is committed to working for every Edo State citizen and lifting their wellbeing by ensuring that Edo State grows into a globally-competitive economy, enabled by technology for the benefit of all its citizens. Before 2025, Edo State will develop and grow its digital economy and operate a digital government. The digital government we are building will plug into the new digital age and would ensure we deliver better and efficient services to all our citizens.”

The Edo governor said the people of Edo State spoke unequivocally through the ballot on September 19 and that he was encouraged by the trust Edo people bestowed in him and his allies. He also pointed out that his re-election represented a new hope, thereby seeing himself as a vessel in the redefinition of democracy in Nigeria, which he said had placed enormous responsibility on him. Governor thanked Edo traditional and religious leaders for their support and supplications, while also expressing gratitude to Edo youths, civil servants, PDP members, traders, women, professional bodies, artisans, and Edo people in the Diaspora, among others, for their unalloyed commitment and loyalty, assuring that he would continue to put them first.

Edo governor also showed appreciation to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the security agencies, and President Muhammadu Buhari for upholding Nigeria’s constitution and allowing the will of the people to prevail.

Observers, however, believe Obaseki and Shaibu may not survive the five petitions at the tribunal and two pre-election matters instituted by the governorship candidate of the main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, and his running mate, Mallam Gani Audu, on Obaseki’s alleged forgery of his University of Ibadan’s (UI’s) certificate and Shaibu’s certificates’ forgery, as well as perjury by both leaders of the PDP.

The three-member election petitions tribunal in Edo State chaired by Justice Abdulrazak Abdulkareem is looking into petitions from Action Democratic Party (ADP) and its governorship candidate, Iboi Emmanuel; Action Peoples Party (APP), without joining its governorship candidate, Amos Areloegbe; Action Alliance (AA) and its governorship candidate, Ukonga Onaivi; Allied Peoples Movement (APM), excluding its governorship candidate, Igbineweka Osamuede, and Tracy Agol, without joining her political party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

The petitioners prayed the tribunal to nullify the September 19 election over forgery, perjury and massive rigging during the bloody poll, with fresh election to be ordered, but to exclude the PDP, Obaseki and Shaibu.