Obaseki set for third Alaghodaro Summit to unveil achievements

• Oshiomhole can’t stop his re-election, Idahosa boasts
Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has inaugurated the planning committee for Alaghodaro (Edo Investment) Summit, charging it to take stock of the administration’s achievements and propose ways to deepen their impact on Edo people and residents.

Inaugurating the committee in Benin City yesterday, the governor stated that the first and second editions of the summit concentrated on attracting investment and human capacity development, but that the third edition would evaluate the progress made by the administration and make projections for the future.

“In the area of economic growth, we are emphasising production, industrialisation and working hard to have independent source of electricity. We are emphasising technical education for our people and primary healthcare.

“We are also building roads and a seaport to open more market opportunities for our people. We did all these in three years. We want to use this Alaghodaro Summit to take stock of our achievements and plan for the next level,” Obaseki said.

He assured that there would be more local content at the summit, as members of the committee were drawn from various councils of the state.

Obaseki noted that the summit was promoted, but not mainly funded, by the state government.

The committee chaired by Mrs. Ifueko Alufohai is expected to raise the 50 per cent counterpart fund from the private sector to ensure sustainability.

Meanwhile, former political adviser to Adams Oshiomhole as governor of Edo, Charles Idahosa, has declared that Governor Obaseki would be re-elected in 2020 despite the sour relationship between him and his predecessor.

Obaseki succeeded Oshiomhole, who is now the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Idahosa, while speaking with newsmen in Benin City yesterday, appreciated Obaseki for bringing sanity to governance in the state.

According to him, since the governor had wormed himself into the hearts of the people through projects that cut across the state, he will be victorious in the 2020 gubernatorial election, even without Oshiomhole’s support.

The spat between Oshiomhole and Obaseki will be difficult to settle because it emanated from envy, Idahosa said, adding that Obaseki surpassed his predecessor in performance with 85 per cent in three years against Oshiomhole’s 45 per cent in eight years.

He said Oshiomhole was intimidated by Obaseki’s achievements.

“Oshiomhole said he brought only one commissioner. That is a lie. He brought the deputy governor, the APC state chairman and the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

“The main issue between Oshiomhole and Obaseki has not been brought to the fore. We know they are busy working underground to stop Obaseki, but nobody can stop Obaseki from having his eight years.

“Obaseki’s record is so intimidating. Oshiomhole wants to be the lone star in the state. The truth is that Oshiomhole is jealous of Obaseki,” Idahosa said.