Residents of Edo State, yesterday, trooped out in their numbers, to welcome their new governor, Godwin Obaseki, who took his Oath of Office along with his deputy, Philip Shaibu, The Guardian reports.
At an impressive ceremony held in the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, were notable Nigerians, including Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who stood in for President Muhammadu Buhari, All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), Governors Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Hamid Yari of Zamfara, Abdullahi Abubakar of Bauchi State, Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Simon Lalong of Plateau State,
Minister of Solid Minerals Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Information and Orientation, Lai Mohammed, Minister of State for Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire among others.
Also at the ceremony were, business mogul, Aliko Dangote, Wale Tinubu, Tony Elumelu, Hakeem Belo-Osagie, Femi Otedola, Deputy Chairman of APC, Chief Segun Oni, former Interim Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande, Wife of Kogi State governor, Aisha Yahaya Bello who represented the First Lady, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari and former governor of Ogun State Segun Osoba.
Obaseki, in his inaugural speech, pledged to provide the needed leadership to move the state forward by building on the foundations of his predecessor.
He promised to accord the welfare of the people, infrastructural development, agro-allied and industrial growth, job creation, and completion of all ongoing projects in parts of the state, topmost priority.
“I am humbled and proud of succeeding a governor, who in the last eight years provided dedicated, fearless, inspired leadership that has transformed our great state in ways in which most people considered impossible. Taken the reigns of office from my leader and mentor, Adams Oshiomhole is an honour that I will always treasure. I will always respect and hold dear his love, confidence, counsel and inspiration.
“I want to thank you Comrade Governor in the presence of all and before the whole world, for being the leader that you have been for the people of Edo State. For the wisdom, which you have pursued our common interest and well-being. I want to assure you that, as we take over today from where you stopped, we have resolved to build on your legacy. The responsibility of leading the march of Edo people to a greater tomorrow is mine, that of my deputy governor and that of the government I will be announcing shortly.
“Many of the fundamental socio-economic development has been put in place by you Comrade Oshiomhole, we need to strengthen and expand the infrastructure that has been established, so that we can have a foundation of which to build a new Edo State of our passionate dream, ” he said
He also assured the people that he would fulfill his electioneering promises, particularly creating 200,000 jobs within the next four years.
He said: “Today, as we begin our journey to build a new Edo State, I want to repeat and affirm that promise to create 200,000 in the next four years. And we will achieve this by leveraging our comparative advantages and our key factor endowments in production and commerce. We will focus on commerce and agro business value chain. Entrepreneurship, investment in industries and technical and vocational skills.”
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