The All Progressives Congress, APC and all Edo people find it very disturbing that contrary to the #EdoisnotLagos mantra of the PDP government in Edo State led by Mr Godwin Obaseki, which means Edo State is not Lagos State and the two states apart being located in the Southern part of the country, have nothing in common, the Edo State government this week relocated the seat of government from Benin City to Lagos.
Aside the governor, his deputy, the Secretary to government, all the civil commissioners and the members of the governor’s legislature led by Mr Magnus Onobun, were locked up in a Lagos hotel as the Edo State resources were wasted to host what Mr Obaseki labelled Edo State management leadership strategy retreat.
The retreat themed, ‘Building the Ethos of Governance and Business,’ ( which could not have held in Benin City, the Edo State capital, obviously due to the lack of a befitting venue) is holding in Lagos state and played host to Economic Adviser to the President, Prof. Dr. Doyin Salami; Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane, Chief Executive Officer, Zinox Group, Dr. Leo Stan Ekeh, among others. But the governor did not say why.
While the governor was having fun in Lagos abandoning his duty post in Benin City, his deputy was all over Lagos and busy collecting an entry form to run alongside the Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu so his name can be listed as a participant in the 2022 edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.
The Lagos City Marathon is just like the International Okpekpe Marathon which was instituted by Mr Obaseki’s predecessor in office, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole but which has not taken place since 2019.
Comrade Oshiomhole’s dream was to make the annual Okpekpe race the first gold label road race in West Africa. The race under Oshiomhole’s watch, made history in 2015 when it became the first road running event to be granted a bronze label. With the relocation of government business by the Edo State government to Lagos State, it is likely that the race which has not held for sometime now will ever be held again.
Speaking while filling his entry form, Mr Shaibu said he has been a distance admirer of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon: “I congratulate the good people of Lagos State, especially the Executive Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for putting together the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, the biggest one-day sports event in Africa and one of the top ten marathons in the world in terms of prize money and participants.
“Having participated in the highly competitive Okpekpe 10km Road Race on a tough terrain because it is hilly, it will be a great joy to experience the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon alongside my brother Governor Sanwo-Olu. It will be fun to run in Lagos because the course is flat”, Mr Shuaibu said.
The APC in Edo State condemns this Lagos expedition by Mr Obaseki and his mob of political sycophants and opportunists because it is an indication that his plan to Make Edo Great Again is a hoax. Events centres which abound in Edo State cannot grow if the Government fail to support or patronize them. It is indeed shameful that this is happening so after Mr Obaseki went Public with a claim that he has since 2016 been laying the foundation for the development of Edo State.
Mr Obaseki has hosted the high and mighty inside his highly rated Executive Chambers in the premises of the Government House in Benin City, and some of his aides even attest to its better facilities for such an event arguing that it could have served as a good venue for his retreat. But the Governor knows best!
The APC condemns this relocation of Edo State government to Lagos state by Governor Obaseki as it is a drain on the already lean Edo treasury. We hope the government realizes soon enough and corrects this error of judgement. If Mr Obaseki’s plan is to take up residence in Lagos state along with his deputy beginning with the retreat and then his cabinet meetings along with his portfolio Legislature, he has made the wrong decision. Edo is not Lagos!
Edo must move forward
Signed
Victor Ofure Osehobo,
Assistant State Publicity Secretary
All Progressives Congress
Edo State
21-1-22