Tongues have been wagging. Many have quarreled and have said terrible things about the Edo State Governor not appointing Commissioners for the state. He has even been called names that aren’t his but many who know what is good have urged others to be patient and follow the new political leader of the state.
The truth remains that Edo people are lucky to have Mr. Godwin Obaseki as Governor. In the face of the much ado about his not appointing commissioners, he had explained that he chose to run for governorship at a time when things are so difficult because he believes that he can impact on the lives of Edo people and that he had looked at the situation and vowed to stop wastages and manage the state’s resources in a manner that it will benefit the people.
Interestingly, since being sworn-in as governor, this has been his driving force. He started with a planning phase. In his exact words: “We needed to plan and say this is what we want from each of the ministries so that when a commissioner comes in, he will work according to the plans on ground.”
The Governor had earlier instructed people seeking appointments in the state to go to their wards where they will be screened and represent a democratic decision and choice by people at the grassroots.
From the onset, Governor Godwin Obaseki told party leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, that he needs time to put a formidable team together. He told party leaders to suggest names to him which has been done, five names per local government area which included two women were forwarded to him. But to ensure that a thorough selection was done, he proceeded to set up a committee made up of respectable academics and technocrats such as Professor Denis Agbonlahor, the former Vice Chancellor of Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, to scrutinize the list. They too have done their jobs and handed over to him. the screening process was not only innovative but it was democratically driven.
Governor Obaseki is coming up with some great innovations in governance. His administration plans to establish a Government House in the 18 local government areas of the state. That explains why he appointed 192 Special Assistants from all the wards in the state last Friday. This is aimed at ensuring that every part of Edo State will feel the impact of government. This also explains why he organised workshops in different sectors of the state and the reports of these workshops are already being implemented. From the plan of Governor Obaseki, the reports are what the commissioners will implement and he has warned that any one of them that does not work as expected will be removed.
The implementation of the plan has commenced with the appointment of the 192 Special Assistants which has never happened in the state since the commencement of democratic rule in 1999.
The appointees, as it stands represent a genuine reflection of all electoral wards in the three Senatorial Districts that make up the state. This is quite historical as being products of inclusive and participatory governance in the state. Those appointed from each Local Government therefore represent the number of wards in such local governments with very clear and specific mandates. They are certainly not going to be bench warmers but would be busy all through the years.
The Special Assistants are also expected to assist the government at the wards where offices would be set up with adequate communication facilities to enable them channel information to the government speedily. They are also mandated to be the eyes, ears, foot soldiers and, possibly enlarge the voice of the government at their various wards.
Most importantly, they are saddled with the task of ensuring that every citizen of Edo State had a say in the administration of the state under Governor Obaseki’s principle of inclusive governance. This, from every indications will help to bolster the feedback mechanism of government by taking government policies and programmes to the grassroots and in the same vein, taking back peoples’ concerns and wishes to the government in an organised and well orchestrated system. This communication mechanism is quite novel in the state as it holds out the prospect that it will be institutionalized by the APC regime in a way and manner that any governor coming after Obaseki cannot resist the temptation of not continuing with the model.
With the recent appointments, it means that any moment from now, the list of persons selected by the governor as commissioners would be sent to the State House of Assembly for approval. That is when the doubting Thomas’s would permanently shut their traps.
A value addition is that the list would not just be from the APC as a party, but according to the Agbonlahor-led committee, ten distinguished Edo sons and daughters found qualified to work with the present administration were also included in the report based on their pedigree as seasoned technocrats and successful professionals and entrepreneurs. The committee was equally set up to listen and review the complaints of those who felt they were left out of the political screening process and addressed their complaints in the list.
In my considered opinion, the screening process adopted by the governor was necessary to allow people at the grassroots participate in the selection of political leaders for the state. It is now that Edo people are witnessing the true meaning of democracy, that is, government of the people, by the people and for the people. It is now that the people are truly leading.
The APC as a party strongly believes that for democracy to thrive in the state, the people at the grassroots level must be involved. They have to participate in the process of nominating people they believe will represent their interest to work in government.
From the foregoing, it behoves the opposition in the state led by People Deceive People, PDP to appreciate the innovation sweeping through the political firmament of the state. It is a time for them to learn about the real meaning of democracy first hand if they would ever be in a position to write their wrongs.
Having voted Godwin Obaseki, we should not rush him, just to make critics happy because at the end of the day, the buck stops on his table. He is the one that would be evaluated. He is duty bound to succeed.
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• Mr. Dan Owegie is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Edo State.
