Obasanjo, Jonathan, Tambuwal, others laud Obaseki's eight years in office

Former Governors of Edo State, Lucky Igbiendion (left); John Odigie-Oyegun; Senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Tambuwal; erstwhile First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan; ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo; Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki and his wife, Betsy during the commissioning of the newly rebuilt and expanded 250-bed Stella Obasanjo Hospital in Benin City…yesterday.

• Edo govt chides APC over false claims

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former First Lady of Nigeria, Dame Patience Jonathan, former governor of Sokoto State and Senator for Sokoto South, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, former governors of Edo State, Lucky Igbiendion and Odigie Oyegun, among other prominent leaders, yesterday, took turns to pour encomium on the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, for his sterling and impactful leadership in Edo State over the last eight years.

The leaders celebrated the governor for his commitment to the welfare of the Edo people, prioritising nuanced reforms and projects across various sectors of the state’s economy, including health, education, economy, and infrastructure, among others, which have significantly impacted and improved the lives of Edo citizens.

They spoke when the governor led them to commission the newly rebuilt and expanded 250-bed Stella Obasanjo Hospital, the Crèche, and Food Court at the State Secretariat Complex, among other projects, in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

Others at the event include the Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, represented by the Chief Medical Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Prof. Darlington Obaseki; the Edo State First Lady, Betsy Obaseki; Chief of Staff to the Edo State Governor, Osaigbovo Iyoha; former First Lady of Cross Rivers State, Obioma Imoke; wife of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2024 governorship election, Ifeyinwa Ighodalo; Provost of the Edo State College of Nursing Sciences (ESCNS), Prof. Patricia Ukaigwe; members of the State’s Executive Council and traditional rulers, among others.

Meanwhile, the Edo State Government, yesterday, said the recruitment into the Edo State Public Service since the outset of the Obaseki-led administration was focused on serving the people.

In a statement, Special Adviser on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, knocked the All Progressives Congress (APC), which had, through Kassim Afegbua, insinuated that the Obaseki administration was overburdening government by employing more workers in recent weeks.

He said: “We are unfortunately seeing a disturbing trend from the APC even before they assume government position.

“They have started making spurious claims that the state is overburdened by debt and are now threatening that they will sack workers.

“In his recent statement, Afegbua, a member of the transition committee, threatened that they are ready to cut down the number of workers engaged in Edo State because they need more money for themselves. This is a sign of the level of thinking in the APC, where all they care about is what gets into their pocket and not what is best for Edo State.”