Governor Obaseki: A Case Of Penny Wise Pound foolish

From Pius Alile

Governor Godwin Obaseki, the Governor of Edo state, now candidate of the PDP for the upcoming Edo state gubernatorial election. When he was elected in 2016 and was sworn in he branded his party members and called them unprintable names. 

He said politicians in the APC were corrupt and expelled  them from visiting govt house. He also treated them with disdain by not consulting the leadership of APC over any matters relating to the governance of the state. According to him, governance is strictly for govt officials and politics for politicians. 

He alienated not only his party people, but the  entire political class. He went after some of them who dare challenge his authority, harassing them with security agents. 

Governor obaseki lacks political character of tolerance and inclusiveness. Governor Obaseki collects  700 million naira security votes every month without recourse  to accountability, yet he still labelled those that brought him to power thieves. 

In 2016 Governor Obaseki came into power through goodwill of his party men and women, some of them spent their personal resources both financial and physical participation. As soon as he was elected he became something else. 

He started to treat them like people suffering from leprosy disease. He isolated himself and became difficult to reach by phone or through physical contact. Today, Governor Obaseki took the mandate of APC and delivered it to PDP on a platter of gold. 

It is being reported that Governor Obaseki has been luring PDP leadership with juicy contracts and political appointments. He has allegedly bribed PDP leadership  and fellow aspirants  with billions of tax payers money. 

Governor Wike laid it bare when he said the PDP NWC members have become tax collectors in the hands of Governor Obaseki. 

Governor Obaseki is now handling various govt appointment to PDP members, the same people who worked and voted against him in 2016. Whereas those who worked and brought him to power have been deliberately alienated over the last three years. 

The peanuts he did not give to APC members, he is now spending in billions to PDP members, a formidable opponents against him as it were in 2016. 

In the case of Governor Obaseki it is penny wise pound foolish. It is incumbent on the Governor to know that a day of reckoning is beckoning on him, and coming too fast against him. 

He is currently the custodian of our collective patrimony and he would be made to account for his stewardship at the appropriate time. The EFCC and relevant agencies should begin to beam their investigative arsenal on the financial dealings of Edo state govt. 

There is also no doubts that  there are issues bothering on transparency, accountability and probity on the part of Obaseki's  govt. 

This govt must be subjected to investigation and probed in the light of allegations  of reckless financial transaction. This is ripe because the end of Obaseki's govt is imminent. 

Hon Pius Alile Is The Director Of Strategy Of Pst Osagie Ize-Iyamu Campaign Organisation