On 11th of March 2016, when Mr. Godwin Obaseki officially began the tour of the 192 political wards that make up Edo State, after previously visiting the 18 LGAs to familiarize himself with the party, it was then he had time to meet with delegates and selected party leaders. This was quite unusual seen against the firmament of political engagements, and such action was the first ever by any aspirant who had contested as governor in the political history of Nigeria.
There were suggestive comments by observers that if he becomes governor he will bring many more fresh ideas to governance. His first port of call was Etsako Central Local Government Area. It was clear from his speech to all and sundry that were present to receive and listen to him on his mission and vision for Edo State and on what he planned to do so that the crises of human capital development being faced by the State will be a thing of the past, that he had a clear focus and mission on how to turn things around.
Godwin Obaseki, in his remarks at the different locations in Fugar ward 1,2,3, ogbonna ward 4, Irakhoe ward 5 , promised Edo people to expect some reforms both in politics and in the economic structure of the state.
As an insight and prelude into how he intends to deal with politics, he promised to separate politics from governance, where politicians will be allowed to play politics while he and the team that will be assembled by him and the party will take up the responsibility of governance with full concentration . He argued that, government house should not be a place for settling political issues rather it should be the party Secretariat and that the various organs of responsibility in the party will be given the powers to function, so that party discipline and supremacy can be enforced.
On his promise to continue to improve on both the structural and economic development of the State, he had said that things will have to be done differently with a focus on trimming down wastages that had hitherto thrown up high cost of governance with a resultant target to cut down cost of governance and still achieving even much more better results than what is obtainable today.
On assumption of office since 12th of November 2016, after subscribing to the relevant oath of office, he has indeed taken some pragmatic steps which suggest that he is keeping to every promise he made during the campaigns. He has promised to hit the ground running which he has actually commenced.
Instead of following the norms used by successive administrations, after taking the oath of office, they return to government house, seat in the comfort of their office with its attendant luxuries and begin to receive people belonging to different groups and associations on courtesy visits. Among them are sycophants and praise singers who primarily want recognition and share of government munificence. He had instead announced that except you are a civil servant or have business to do with government, every other activity bothering on politicians flooding government house is for now banned to allow him concentrate on the reason he was elected as governor of Edo State.
During his campaign for the seat of governor, he promised to reform the civil service which according to him is the fulcrum for which any government can succeed. That promise, no doubt is already being looked into. He has visited the State secretariat building, housing majority of the civil servants for on the spot assessment, to know what approach to adopt in order to achieve his planned revamping and reformation of the civil service. He has also granted audience to the leadership of the civil service commission to ascertain the present structure and strength of the civil service in order for him to know where to begin from in the implementation of the reforms he is bringing on board.
On his promise of the over 200,000 jobs during the campaigns, he had consistently mentioned that florid of investors were waiting to see him sworn in as governor so that they can come in to set up their factories here in Edo State. His fear however is if Edo youths are capacity ready to take up the opportunities that lies ahead so that persons from neighbouring states do not come in to hijack the opportunities that will be provided by the intending investors.
Hence, his desire to revamp the State owned Technical college that was established forty years ago with the capacity to train people on vocational and specialized skills but had since been abandoned to squalor and its equipment looted. When revamped, the College can turn out graduates and man power needed by the different companies being anticipated to come into Edo State or better still set up their own trade based on the skill acquired from the college in which both options no doubt will create prosperity for all Edo people.
What Governor Obaseki needs now from Edo people is cooperation that goes beyond the differences that divides us as a people; we must look beyond party interest, religious cleavages, ethnic and primordial sentiments and come together as one people to encourage him to succeed as governor of our dear state which belongs to us all.
Edo indeed will go further with Godwin Obaseki as governor, most especially as he sticks to his promises of new ideas.
