Last week, the Edo State House of Assembly announced that it had received the list of Commissioners-designate sent to him by the Governor, Mr. Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki. Eighteen (18) persons drawn from the 18 Local government areas of the state made the list. They were selected through a very novel process by the All Progressives Congress members at the Local Government Level.

The Edo State House of Assembly has equally commenced the screening of those appointed to ensure that they are fit and proper for such appointment in the state. But given the democratic process that threw them up in their various Local Government Areas which was open and transparent, one sees a situation where the House would simply endorse the list of the commissioners-designate at the completion of the screening exercise.

Looking through the nominees, one can also appreciate why it took the Governor the time he used to draw up the list as the nominees are all tested and trusted citizens of the state who have excelled in their various fields of human endeavour. One of the nominees, Professor Yinka Omorogbe, was the Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan and a former Secretary of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). She is also the Convener of Edo Women Development Initiative. She has contributed immensely to the practice of Law in Nigeria and has a very rich background and eminently qualified for the job.

Hon. Christopher Adesotu and Hon Paul Ohonbamu are both seasoned grassroots politicians who when they were at the Edo State House of Assembly as Lawmakers were very vocal and efficient in representing their constituencies. Christopher Adesotu as Chairman of Ovia South West Local Government equally made his marks in the development of all sectors of the council area.

Emmanuel Usoh as one of the Directors of Edo Internal Revenue Service contributed immensely to the growth and development of the State Revenue House it was in their time that the revenue profile of the state witnessed tremendous improvement over the child’s play that the PDP government left it. It was as a result of the improved revenue base that the Adams Oshiomhole’s administration was able to develop the state to an enviable level which the Obaseki regime is building upon.

One can go on and on with the analysis but suffice to say that the Governor made a very good choice of all those he has offered appointment. Interestingly too, the State Governor, last week announced the appointment of seven new Special Advisers who would equally be part of the State executive council for effective decision making processes in the state’s cabinet.

The Seven Special Advisers were later sworn-in by Edo State Governor Mr. Godwin Obaseki during the week with a charge to play their constitutional role of advising him and ensure his administration succeeds.

Good enough, the governor used the occasion to speak to the issue of why their appointments came at the time it did. Obaseki said the delay in the appointments was deliberate as he was putting in place plans that will ensure a smooth take off of his administration’s major policy thrusts.

Equally of note is the point that the role of special advisers in his administration is beyond formality as it used to be in the past but that this set of advisers he appointed will play the role they are expected to play as required by the constitution. “You are going to assist and advise me to sail through difficult terrain of government and governance. I am appointing you because I believe that all of you have the experience, integrity and commitment to make me succeed.

More reassuring was the promise by Governor Obaseki that his administration will run a transparent government with integrity as he reached out to people who can demonstrate leadership particularly in the future for the appointments he has been making.

The Governor had earlier on appointed 192 Senior Assistants from all the electoral Wards of the State irrespective of whether he had winning votes in the last governorship election from such wards or not. He equally announced the appointment of 54 Senior Special Assistants. Three from each Local Government Areas of the State. Good enough, the party machinery were instrumental to those appointments. The governor through such transparent processes of making these appointments has brought back the era of party supremacy in the politics of the state and making it truly a grassroots affair, leaving no one behind in the decision making process. It shows clearly, a man on the saddle who is determined to succeed.

Clearly, the stage is set for the massive development of the state. If working with a handful of political appointees, Governor Obaseki could achieve so much in the area of infrastructural development, creation of enabling environment for businesses to thrive and job creation for our unemployed youths, it follows that with more people joining him to bake the revenue cake and decision- making, more development would be recorded in the months and weeks ahead.

Governor Godwin Obaseki has danced down all his enemies in the state, starting with the Edo State chapter of the People Democratic Party (PDP) led by Mr. Dan Orbih who had made so much offending noise about appointment of Commissioners. Now that Obaseki has made the appointments, one would expect the opposition to look for another source of their bags of lies and distraction for Edo people who already know them too well.

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Mr. Dan Owegie is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Edo State.