Edo Gov Obaseki Picks Committee To Screen Names Of Political Appointees

By Ayodele Oni

All is now set for the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki to appoint people into his cabinet, with the inauguration of a 15-member Committee, charged with the responsibility of screening political nominees that will be appointed.

Governor Obaseki, who was inaugurated for the second term almost ten months ago, has not constituted the state executive council.

However, with his victory at the Supreme Court, members of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) are itching to be appointed into political offices.

Mr Obaseki had decamped from the All Progressive Congress, (APC) to contest last year’s election on the ticket of the PDP and defeated his closest rival Pastor Ize Iyamu.

Speaking while inaugurating the 15 members appointment committee in Benin City on Wednesday, the Governor explained that people would not be appointed into political offices without knowing their background.

“We have passed that stage where people just come into the government for the sake of it; you are coming for a purpose and must be equipped to deliver on that purpose.

“We have gone round the state and asked wards and local governments to submit nominations.

“We have collected names and received petitions from some people expressing how happy or unhappy they were; we have received all of these and passed them on to you.

“You have to first check that the information that they gave us is correct. Do they have the qualifications? You have to interact with them and advise us.  Tell us whether these people can help us deliver on our mandates.

“When you make your recommendations, we then look at those your recommendations and select those that we need to select; we are running a very transparent selection process. I don’t have one name; the people have gone through the process.

“You all have very high credibility; we have engaged you in various assignments in the past, so we are very deliberate in choosing you. We trust and believe that whatever you give to us would be as you see it.

“So, we have a lot of trust and confidence that you will do a great job for us. People are anxious; we don’t have time.

“We believe that in the next two to three weeks, you will come with what we can work with.

The Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Dennis Agbonlahor promised that “We will try as much as possible to deliver on our mandate within the stipulated time.”

The committee is expected to submit its report on it before July 15.