Think of next generation not next poll, Obaseki tells political leaders

Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has challenged political leaders across the country to always think about creating worthwhile values for the next generation of their respective domains once they are elected into office.He said a situation where the next election dominated political discourse more than how to positively impact the next generation was responsible for the country’s lack of development.Obaseki spoke at a town hall meeting organised yesterday by Unuedo Renaissance Group in Lagos.

The governor, who enumerated his various development strides to reposition the state, noted that the problem of Edo was not resources and opportunities, but leadership.“Our thinking has been so short-sighted. For politicians, it’s all about the next elections. We’re not thinking about the next generation. Where will we be in 2050? How will we overtake Lagos in 2050? For me, it’s all about the next generation.

“If we’re able to make the massive investment in the Benin River Port, even (Aliko) Dangote told me that is my goldmine. It can beat Tin Can Port. What we need do is to plan our regional and urban development. From what we are doing, Edo is the next Silicon Valley of Nigeria. My dream is that by 2050, Edo will host the Olympics.”

The governor said unveiling the future of Edo was uppermost in his mind as he showed his audience the roadmap of a desirable future for Edo people, drawing on their strong aspiration, which he said is founded on the people’s strong, enterprising and regal disposition.He said his administration was founded on three pillars, namely “what are we, what went wrong, and our response”.

The Edo helmsman also spoke on the raging security situation in the country following the establishment of Operation Amotekun in the South West geo-political zone. He enumerated the efforts of his administration to transform the security architecture in his state, adding that it was no longer possible to ignore a federal security arrangement for effectiveness.

“Security arrangement must align with our federal arrangement. We must devolve it, but it must be done responsibly,” he said.Earlier, while welcoming the governor and his cabinet comprising his deputy, Phillip Shaibu, Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Chief of Staff, president of Edo Okpa’no, Emmanuel Ijewere, said the town hall meeting was convened to ascertain if Obaseki was indeed “the right man we chose or the wrong man. We in Lagos may not vote, but we influence what happens in Edo. We want to hear from the man himself.

“The kind of politics being played in Edo today is that of division. We have one common heritage and we stand by it, as exemplified by our motto, Edo okpa ‘no.”Representatives from the three senatorial districts also addressed the governor and presented development challenges in their districts to him.