From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Ex-Chief of Staff to Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, Taiwo Akerele, yesterday, carpeted the governor’s claim that his love for the people of Akoko- Edo Local Government Area was the reason he appointed him as his Chief of Staff in his first term.
The governor reportedly made the claim in Igarra, the headquarters of Akoko-Edo Local Government Area when he swore in appointed Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and Special Assistants (SAs).
But Akerele in a statement, said the office of the CoS is a personal choice of the governor and not a mandate of the people, contending that the governor has not backed up his claim with development of the area
“Is my appointment the beginning and end of development for the Akoko-Edo people? Why can’t the governor wake up to the reality of my voluntary resignation? I have moved on. Otherwise how can a state governor continue to make reference to an appointment made over seven years ago as an achievement to a people in dire need of rapid development and progress?
“Ever since he has been in office for seven years now, what significant project has the governor executed for the Akoko-Edo people? This should be the last time Godwin Obaseki should refer to my appointment as a show of love for the people as he could have easily replaced me with any of his PDP members or friends from Akoko-Edo since my umbilical cord is not tied to his.
“This is the same local government where kidnappers have taken over farm lands, the same local government where the roads are in dilapidated state, schools have no teachers and where young graduates and youths are jobless and the technical college abandoned while there has not been any new projects initiated to stimulate economic growth and development yet it is convenient for His Excellency to always visit for reasons as low as inaugurating SAs and SSAs or coming to hold PDP meetings with persons that will always hail or sing his praises without asking policy based-questions.
“I do hope this will be the last time he will publicly refer to my appointment as his COS as a testament to his love for my people otherwise I will be forced to challenge him to a public debate on key issues especially during my time in office and up to the event that led to my insistence that I am done”, the statement added.
Recall that Akerele resigned his appointment before the end of Obaseki’s first tenure as a result of irreconcilable differences arising from the crisis between Obaseki and his benefactor, Sen. Adams Oshiomhole.