I Intend To Help Obaseki Finish Well, Says Edo Deputy Governor Omobayo Godwins

The newly appointed Deputy Governor of Edo State, Omobayo Godwins, has said that he does not believe there will be any breach between himself and Edo’s Governor Godwin Obaseki, as his aim in his short term in power is to help Obaseki finish his tenure well.

In an interview with ARISE NEWSNIGHT on Monday, Omobayo said that there is already a plan on ground for the development of Edo State, and he has inherited the plan and intends to run with it as he works with governor Obaseki.

Omobayo, when asked what he will do if he has any altercations with Obaseki in his six-month term, said, “Six months is a very short time that you consider that there could be a bridge. I’m not expecting so much because there’s already a plan on ground, I inherited the plan. My own intention is to assist the governor to finish very well and to make one or two inputs, whether you call them technical inputs, because that is where I find my strength, and some political inputs to add to the subsequent vote that we envisage in September. There’s really not much of a big deal, I already met a plan, already there’s work in progress almost to complete, so I don’t think that would be a problem.”

Omobayo then discussed the plans on ground for Edo State’s development as he said, “We are done with the Benin Masterplan. We are working on Edo central and Edo North Masterplan, and I happen to be critical in that design even before now. So, because Edo North, for me, we have natural resources and we have illegal people coming to mine all of that, thus posing environmental hazards.

“So, there’s been this concern that in the few years to come there could be so much hazard that we may not be able to manage, whether health or earthquakes or whatever. But what we are doing is we are assisting, because I think I have a very strong foundation on the design of a masterplan. We are incorporating the GIS system so that all of that will be captured. More importantly is to deliver our prospective candidate for September 2024, and I’m sure that with what he has done for our people now, we will get more than 80% from Akoko-Edo at least and Edo North in general.”

The deputy governor, who hails from Akoko-Edo, then expressed joy over the fact that this is the first time Akoko-Edo has been represented in a high position in Edo’s government as he said, “It is a serious plus in the affirmative for the people of Akoko-Edo… in the sense that it’s almost like a generational curse. Edo State was created in 1991 and we’ve not had a fair share of representation at the top level unless for the statutory positions like the House of Assembly, commissionership, and all of that. I think it was in 2016 when the governor emerged first term that we got the chief of staff, and I think that has been the best shot.”

Omobayo further said, “I’m also grateful to God that at 37+, he made me a deputy governor. That I didn’t see coming because I ran an election that I even won- even though it was sabotaged- in 2023, for the Federal House of Representatives. So, I tag it as an act of God, and my people are very grateful, but don’t forget that the position of the deputy governor is for the entire state.”

He then, speaking to his past in politics, said, “There is this saying that integrity is doing the right thing when nobody is watching you. The people of Akoko-Edo to start with, because they are the ones that can vouch for me. They know me so much within the past one or two years that I came into this race when I ran for House of Reps, and never a time have they found me wanting. I have not played politics of bitterness, I’ve not even had any cause to insult my opponents. I just make it issue based and I tell them what I can do for my people.”

Omobayo was appointed the Deputy Governor of Edo State and sworn in on Monday, mere hours after his predecessor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, was impeached by the Edo State House of Assembly after he was investigated under charges of misconduct.

Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi

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