Obaseki’s re-election will spur rapid development in Edo, says PDP

Chieftain trusts Wike to win any state for party
State govt trains 185 SMEs on public procurement procedures

Edo State will witness rapid development in the next four years for supporting and re-electing Governor Godwin Obaseki on Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, says Edo PDP Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikare.

He disclosed this during a tour of Ogbeka and other wards in Orhionmwon, home of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

Nehikare, who was applauded by residents for ensuring victory for PDP and Obaseki in the September 19 governorship election in the state, expressed appreciation to the people of Orhionmwon for re-electing Obaseki.

He said: “The people of Orhionmwon have decided and it came to pass during the governorship election with the defeat of the APC in the area.”

A PDP chieftain in Edo, Mr. Osaretin Ovbieko, declared that APC in the state was going into extinction, following its defeat at the election.

Ovbieko described the election as a turning point for Edo people, adding that there were indications that the people needed to reward the trust they found in Obaseki.

IN the same vein, another PDP chieftain, Festus Osaigbovo, has commended Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, for leading the party to victory in the election.

Osaigbovo said with Wike’s exploit in Edo, which led to the re-election of PDP’s Obaseki, “he (Wike) can deliver any state for the PDP.”

The coming of Wike to Edo, he added, turned things around for the PDP and put the APC in a state of “continually making uncorrectable mistakes that led to its heavy defeat.”

MEANWHILE, the state government has trained 185 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on guidelines and procedures for participating in the public contracting exercises, in a bid to open up the space for more viable local businesses to access funding.

The training was organized by the Edo State Public Procurement Agency (EDPPA) in Benin City and had SMEs, contractors and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in attendance.

Head of Edo State Investment Promotion Office (ESIPO), Kelvin Uwaibi, said the training was aimed at providing SMEs with the right knowledge and skillset to bid for government contracts as they continue to seek ways to find their feet in the wake of the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

On his part, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Edo State Public Procurement Agency (EDPPA), Henry Idogun, said contractors only have to be competent and possess the right skills for the job to win contracts in the state, adding that the training was aimed at building capacity of contractors and SMEs with the requisite qualifications in rebuilding Edo’s post COVID-19 economy.