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Former military head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), has commended Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on his sterling developmental strides in the state, and called on Edo people to continue to support him and his policies.
Abubakar made the call when he addressed newsmen after a closed-door meeting with the governor, at the Government House, Benin City.
He urged residents of the state to support the state government to sustain the developmental strides, by paying their taxes and protecting public facilities against vandalism.
“I served in Benin long ago and I cannot believe the level of development made so far. I commend the governor for the successes he has achieved. The development I have seen in Benin is quite commendable,” he said.
Abubakar lauded the governor for his vision and doggedness in improving living standards, noting, “the state government is doing what it can to provide a good life for the people.
“It is the duty of the citizens to protect these facilities and pay their taxes.”
The former head of state was in the state to attend the 20th anniversary of the Igbinedion University, Okada.
He expressed satisfaction that the decision taken 20 years ago to grant operational licenses to private universities has created opportunities for more graduates to be trained in the country.
“When you look down memory lane, you will see a large number of people who have gone through private universities. It is very fulfilling that is why I came to celebrate with Igbinedion University,” he said.
He urged the Federal Ministry of Education to improve on supervision of curriculum, facilities and ensure adequate monitoring of Nigerian universities so they can secure top spots in world universities’ rankings.
Governor Obaseki described the visit as an honour and commended the former head of state for embarking on policies that are still yielding positive results in the country.
He thanked Abubakar for being part of the team that provided the enabling environment for setting up of private universities in the country, which enhanced access to quality education to many Nigerians.
In the same vein, former minister of External Affairs and a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Tom Ikimi, urged Obaseki to remain focused and continue to work for the good of the people.
Ikimi, during a visit, said Obaseki has warmed his way into the hearts of Edo people with his impressive performance since he took up the mantle of leadership in the state.
He urged the governor to remain focused and continue with his remarkable passion to develop the state into an industrial hub.
Ikimi’s visit swelled the rank of opposition party leaders swayed by the governor’s leadership style and have defied party leanings to express admiration and support for the governor’s development strides.
