A two-time former governorship aspirant in Edo State, High Chief Jacob Egietseme Idinye has commended Governor Godwin Obaseki for choosing Engineer Omobayo Marvellous Godwins as his new deputy governor, Marvellous Godwins as his deputy within a constitutionally stipulated timeframe.
Omobayo replaced Phillip Shaibu who was impeached and removed from office on Monday morning (April 8, 2024) by the State House of Assembly.
Idinye in a chat Tuesday morning with some senior political correspondents at the Transcorp hotel, Abuja said Governor Obaseki has demonstrated that he had the interest of the citizenry at heart by doing only what is permitted by the extant rules.
The Etsako East born politician also hailed the Edo State Assembly members for exercising their legislative powers to bring sanity to the affairs of governance in the state.
According to High Chief Idinye, “Governor Godwin Obaseki has truly shown that he believes in the youth and has been creating various platforms for them to showcase their talents and potentials. Choosing Engineer Omobayo Marvellous Godwins, a 38 year old man as his new deputy is a very well thought out decision and the state will surely be better for it.
“He is a young technocrat with enviable professional pedigree. The gentleman’s CV is so robust and intimidating, which indicated that Edo State is known for producing excellent men. The new kid in the bloc is a seasoned Engineer with a proven track record of progressive professional experience in the oil and gas sector.
“The new deputy governor is also a registered member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria. A thorough-bred young professional, he serves as a Senior Maintenance Engineer in Dresser Wayne West Africa Limited, cutting his professional teeth in the operations in the South South area, providing top-notch services and growing the business in the region.
“Records also show that Godwins has been very active in politics in his Akoko Edo Local Government for sometime, where he is known for building bridges of trust with the people and mobilising them for common causes, breaking political barriers to the chagrin of his opponents.
“However, I must salute the State Assembly members for living up to their responsibilities and for not allowing the fabric that tied the state together to get soiled or ruined. A man that exposed official secrets and sabotaged his principal, Governor Obaseki and his party, PDP is not fit and proper to be kept in office. Why I understand there is nothing wrong being ambitious politically, but it will be dangerous to have a man who is over ambitious and desperate for power to have his way, it will spell catastrophic doom for the state.
“A state like Edo cannot be allowed to be in the hands of people with questionable pedigree. Just few months ago this same impeached deputy governor at an event, was seen praying heavily for the current deputy governor alongside his wife, that they will be greater in future, in the field of politics in Edo State, and of course there is a video evidence to substantiate this claim which has even gone viral on the social media. The people of Edo can identify those who speak from both sides of their mouth and they can never trust or take them seriously.” Idinye stated.
While reacting to the political bravery, astutness and sagacity of Governor Obaseki, Idinye observed that the Governor had history of defeating his detractors as well as opponents, with many of them always coming back to bow at his knees each time they suffered defeat.
Speaking with conviction, confidence, and empirical evidence, Idinye maintained that PDP will win the September 21, 2024 gubernatorial election in Edo State, adding that the Governor Obaseki had the “magic wand” to achieve victory and success anytime and at every given situation.
“I make bold to say Governor Obaseki is a master strategist, a builder of man and space, an acknowledged brilliant political leader, a leader with national spread, an enduring and ensuring promoter of sustainable democracy and development and a skillful mover who has the magic wand to success and victory at every given situation; his electoral value is phenomenal. I salute his bravery, astutness and sagacity in politics.
“Records have it that Edo 2020 when commissioners and other government appointees were resigning in their numbers, they bragged and boasted that Buhari will rig out Governor Obaseki, but in the end they were all defeated. Infact, their candidate was defeated in his own LGA. In 2023, they bragged and boasted that they would win the House of Assembly elections and impeach Governor Obaseki, again they were defeated, PDP won and controls the House of Assembly. Now they are boasting and bragging again, they will learn another bitter lesson in September 21.
“What they fail to understand is that, thousands of Edo workers and their families do not want to go back to the days when they have to protest in ring road daily for unpaid salaries. Pensioners in the state do not want to go back to the days when they were protesting and dieing in ring road to get their pensions. Thousands of Local government wokers in the state do not want to go back to the days when they were owed 44 months salaries.
“Similarly, market women and bus drivers do not want to go back to the days where thugs were beating and harrassing them daily to collect revenue from them, revenue that never gets to the government. Lions and Tigers will never block ugbor road again to celebrate billions in their account. Also, land grabbers who specialized in selling lands to multiple people have been put in their places with the release of thousands of Certificate of Occupancy. Nobody is telling the market women and widows in the streets to go and die. Again those who want to drag Edo backwards will be defeated again and again.
“When campaign starts they will be reminded. Edo State is a PDP state right from day one. Unfortunately court gave victory to Adams Oshiomhole of then, ACN; thankfully Governor Obaseki changed the narrative and brought back PDP to power in Edo State, therefore Edo is not Lagos and Lagos cannot be Edo, god-fatherism has been fully obliterated in our State. PDP remains fully in charge and that has also been validated by the people who are always willing to vote for our candidates whenever they are called upon,” Idinye said.
