From Tony Osauzo and Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
In apparent response to mounting public anxiety over increasing insecurity in Edo State, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, yesterday, said the government will soon come out with a strategy to arrest the situation.
Addressing journalists in Benin, Aziegbemi disclosed that Governor Godwin Obaseki was not sleeping over the insecurity in the state and assured the people that they would sleep with their two eyes closed during the yuletide.
He cautioned politicians, including party members, not to distract the governor as he settles down for his second term of office.
This is even as he denied rumours that the governor demanded that PDP elected executives, from the ward to the state level, be dissolved and a mini congress organised so he could infuse some of his supporters who came with him from the All Progressives Congress into the leadership of the party.
Aziegbemi said Obaseki was ready to reposition the state’s civil service for better performance, complete the industrial park which he said would generate N10 billion revenue for the state.
“I urge Edo people to continue to support the PDP-led administration in the state, we need the support for him to continue the good works. This party, under my leadership, will give the governor all the support he needs because we need to say this publicly for our people to know where we stand; on the political front, we want absolute quiet, we don’t want the governor to be distracted, we want him to focus on governing Edo State because we want PDP to deliver on the promises we made during the campaigns and distracting him politically will not help,” he said.
On rumour that Obaseki appointed some aides without consulting the party, the party chairman said: “lt is not in our brief as a party to appoint personal aides to the governor, it is his prerogative. Whether he briefs us or not, they are his personal aides, that is why the party is in consonance with the appointment and he has done the right thing in appointing the right people. You will agree with me that Osarodion Ogie is the most qualified for that job and we should trust that the governor will bring the best decisions for the people.”