EXCLUSIVE: Five months after inauguration, Obaseki set to form cabinet

BARRING any last-minute change of plan, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State,  will constitute the state executive council within the next two weeks.  

This is coming five months after the governor was inaugurated on November 12, 2020, for a second term in office. Since then, Obaseki has been running a lean-structure administration with his deputy, Philip Shaibu, and secretary to the state government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie.  

A reliable source told Naija Times at the weekend that the governor is finalising plans to make his administration fully inclusive. His initial plan was to name his cabinet three months after his second term inauguration but it extended to five months. 

It has taken the governor that long to form his cabinet because he wanted to re-position the public service for efficient service delivery, said the source.

“The aim is to build strong institutions in Edo State that will guarantee transparency, equity and good governance.

 Governor Obaseki is committed to running a government that’s a departure from the norm to deliver the dividends of democracy to the Edo people in a post-Covid-19 economy,” added the source. 

Continuing, the source said, “Obaseki won his second term bid because Edo people trust him to continue to perform as their governor. He is fair, broadminded and innovative.”

In October last year, Obaseki constituted the Edo State Transition Committee headed by Head of Service, Anthony Okungbowa, in the wake of his re-election on September 19, 2020 to “set agenda for his administration, taking cognisance of ongoing projects for both developmental and transformational purposes and electioneering promises.”

Naija Times gathered that certain anomalies were discovered in the Civil Service by the transition committee since it swung into action, which explained why the governor was not in a hurry to form his cabinet.

The source identified dwindling revenues, the effect of Covid-19 pandemic which is now in its second wave in Nigeria, among others, as some of the factors that could hinder the governor’s plan for Edo people if not addressed. For example, Covid-19 delayed the hosting of the 20^th National Sports festival which is ongoing in Edo State after three postponements.

Speaking on dwindling revenues, the source said 60 percent of revenue accruing to the state from the federation account is disbursed on first line charges, adding that there’s no way the governor could have run his administration on a shoestring budget and achieve his dream of good governance for Edo people.

The source noted that if not for the prudent management of resources by the governor, he would not have been able to pay salaries of workers and gratuity of pensioners regularly. 

“Obaseki does not owe workers and pensioners in Edo State and you can verify this claim,” the source asserted confidently. “The Governor is not the kind of politician that we are used to in the country. He wants to deliver purposeful and result-oriented leadership. I prefer to call him a strategist who wants prosperity for Edo State and its people,” explained the source.

Recall that Governor Obaseki at the Edo State Transition Committee stakeholders’ engagement last week lamented that the economy is no longer what it used to be.

He also hinted at the dwindling revenues accruing to state governments from the federation account.

He said, “Nigeria has changed. The economy of Nigeria is not the same again whether we like it or not. Since the civil war, we have been managing; saying money is not our problem as long as we are pumping crude oil every day.

“So, we have run a very strange economy and strange presidential system where the local, state and federal governments, at the end of the month, go and earn salary in Abuja. We are the only country in the world that does that.

“Everywhere else, governments rely on taxes in a productive economy. But with the way we run Nigeria, the country can go to sleep. At the end of the month, we just go to Abuja, collect money and we come back to spend. We are in trouble, a huge financial trouble.” What Obaseki is saying in plain English is that Nigeria is broke!

Governor Obaseki, together with the transition committee, said the source, is working round the clock to formulate viable policies that will make him deliver on the promises he made to the people during electioneering campaigns despite the challenge of dwindling revenues.

The source disclosed to Naija Times that one of the priorities of the Obaseki administration is reforming the civil service and increasing internally generated revenue.

This point was buttressed by the governor in his speech while addressing members of Edo State Transition Committee and other stakeholders at the Government House on Wednesday April 7, 2021 when the Committee submitted its report with PDP stakeholders in attendance.

During the meeting moderated by Pashal Ugbomhe, a PDP stalwart in the state, the governor said, “Politicians come into office for just four years, take over duties of civil servants, leaving the system worse and making the service weak. Our administration is focusing on strengthening it for optimum productivity.

“Political appointees have been confused not knowing what to do, encroaching into other people’s responsibilities and duties. We need to strengthen our structures to ensure we move forward in development.”

The Naija Times source added that Obaseki has reiterated that he will run a government that will live up to its social contract with Edo people, adding that to achieve his dream, there must be a paradigm shift, particularly in the face of identified challenges. He tasked the committee to provide a roadmap for a change in the way things are done. As a foremost economist and investment banker, Obaseki believes in the idea of constant innovation for improved service delivery, averred the source.

Another reason cited by the source for the delay in the constitution of cabinet by the governor was the need to harmonise his goals with members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which he joined after his ordeal at the All Progressives Congress, his erstwhile political party.

For Obaseki, it was a tortuous journey, full of political intrigues and banana peels, before he could realise his second term ambition.The drama that characterised Obaseki’s victory reached its climax when he defected to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from APC at the last minute.

After winning the governorship election, Obaseki, disclosed the source, struck some agreements with those he met in his new party and he is willing to fulfill his part of the deal by seeking their inputs in developing a framework which will guide his second term administration to avoid any rancour and misunderstanding.

According to the source, all the issues delaying the formation of Obaseki’s cabinet have been resolved. Having harmonised all contending positions within Edo State PDP by engaging all the key stakeholders, decisions have been taken and the coast is now clear for the announcement of cabinet members who will work together with Obaseki to deliver the dividends of democracy to Edo people. 

Like Aregbesola, like Obaseki?

There have been speculations that Obaseki was deliberately delaying forming a cabinet in order to reduce the overhead costs of running his administration in the face of dwindling revenues.

Some critics indeed, cited the precedent set by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the former governor of Osun State, who refused to  constitute an executive council during his second term in office. 

Aregbesola, who is now the Minister of Interior, had in his second term in office reappointed only the Secretary to the state government and Chief of Staff while he turned himself into ‘commissioner-general’ for all ministries.

Aregbesola, however, made use of majority of his immediate past commissioners as “consultants” to execute projects.

The governor had cited the financial crunch the state experienced  at the time as his reason for the action.

Speaking about the speculations, Naija Times source said Governor Obaseki is not planning anything similar as efforts are in final stage to announce his cabinet members.