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Former president, Godluck Jonathan, has chided some governors who he accused of employing criminals to rig elections to achieve their political ambition.
Jonathan, who did not mention the governors, spoke while inaugurating the state secretariat refurbished by Godwin Obaseki, yesterday in Benin City.
He, however, said the Edo state governor was an exception as he was encouraging the best brains in his state.
“In fact, if you go to some states, governors are busy encouraging criminals because of politics, people that rig elections for them, carry ballot boxes, knives and cutlasses pursuing people during elections.
“But you are encouraging the best brains in Edo State. The brains didn’t come from one political party, it came from all the political parties. The brains come from all those who are supporting all governorship candidates.
“Those who are undergraduates should struggle to make First Class instead of going to join cult gangs, drinking alcohol and raping women. You should try to make good grades. So, if you have an opportunity to go to school, take your school seriously.”
The ex-president said he was delighted to hear the state Head of Service say that Obaseki had employed first graduates, stressing that “It takes somebody who has vision like Obaseki to do that”.
Jonathan believes that Obaseki was not supporting the best brains because he wanted to win elections, but because he wanted to build a state. “For you to build a state you have to build people,” he noted.
“To be a leader, especially a political leader, local government chairman, state governor or president of a country you must have a vision, and not just I want to be this and when you sit in the office, you don’t know what to do.
“I have to sincerely appreciate your vision and let me also join the civil servants to thank them for improving their welfare,” he said.
On the governor’s new minimum wage of 70,000 for workers in the state, Jonathan praised Obaseki, noting that before the increment, the civil servants were going home with salaries that could not take them home.
“Initially, when I read in the papers that you proposed to pay N70, 000 minimum wage, I was also worried if this good friend will be able to pay. But, that is a word of a visioner,” he added.
While welcoming guests to the event earlier, Obaseki had given reason for renovating the secretariat. He explained that he embarked on the renovation because “if we must make progress as a state,” then government bureaucracy must work.
“One of the biggest takeaways from the building of this secretariat is that we can achieve anything that we set our mind to do, irrespective of the opinion of the naysayers at the beginning of any journey.
“I am confident, that wherever General Samuel Ogbemudia of blessed memory is today, and all of those who worked with him during and after the civil war to build Edo State, wherever they are today, they will be proud that their dreams of building a secretariat complex like this have been realised today. If we have to attract private sector investments, which we require to develop Edo State, it is important that we upgrade the workplace, personalities and capacity of public servants and the public service,” he said.
