Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has urged citizens not to support politicians who are purportedly at odds with him over his refusal to share the state's funds and contracts with friends and political allies.
During the official opening of the Edo State Flood Erosion and Watershed Management Agency (EdoFEWMA), Obaseki made this statement in Benin, the state's capital.
Following the termination of the Nigeria Erosion Watershed Management Project, the project was started (NEWMAP).
“Let me go political, we spent $150 million on NEWMAP projects. I didn’t own contractors involved in this project, we paid all our counterpart funds when due.
“Why are they fighting Obaseki? They said I could have shared the money, I could have given the contracts to friends and political associates but if I had done that, we wouldn’t have addressed the severe flooding and gully erosion problems ravaging our communities.”
Obaseki who didn’t mention any name said Edo people must not allow those fighting him for money and contracts to come back to power.
“My appeal to you is that election is coming, we must not let them come back because their fight is not about us but how to share the money meant for the people.
“If you allow them to come in whatever name, all they are interested in is how to share the money, not to solve the environment or erosion control or projects.
“What you people did for me on September 19, 2020, is what you will do in February and March when we go to the poll. Edo must be for Edo, it can’t be for a few people or people outside Edo who want to determine what happened and who governs or determines it. We don’t have too much money but what we have is enough to do what we are doing now. The fight doesn’t matter, but I know I have Edo people to support me,” he said.
Obaseki and Adams Oshiomhole, his predecessor fell apart midway into his first term as governor.
Oshiomhole, who played a vital role in the emergence of Obaseki, worked against him in 202o, but the governor succeeded.
Oshiomhole is now contesting a senate seat in Edo, and also campaigning aggressively for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).