Governor
Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday, presided over his last State Executive
Council session as Governor of Edo State and commended members of the
Council for their steadfastness, commitment, industry and
resourcefulness which contributed to the success of his administration.
Speaking
at the valedictory exco session at the Government House, Benin City,
Wednesday, Governor Oshiomhole said, “Let me thank each and every one of
you for what God has used you to do for our people, for our great
state. Let me say publicly that I do believe the evidence is there, that
members of this state executive council are the least paid and work the
hardest compared to any other state that I know of. I also know that we
have had to work long hours. I recall a meeting we had, starting at 9.00 am, no adjournment and staying all the way to 7.00 am
the following day. No break, no adjournment. We all agreed that we
would do that and we would not adjourn until we had addressed the issue
of the viability of this state so that we can deliver on our promises.”
He
said, “I want to thank all of you. May God bless you; may God reward
you. And we must have a sense of collective ownership of everything that
happened while we were here. I want to apologise to those I harassed,
and there is hardly anyone I didn’t, but it can be both ways. I wanted
everything to be perfect. The harder I strived towards perfection, the
more I realise that it can’t be, and I am still striving. I was always
afraid to fail; it has been in nature. I didn’t design it. Thank you for
tolerating a lot of that and for appreciating that nothing was
personal.
“I am proud of each and every one of you, and as
Odubu said, let’s see ourselves as members of a particular class, like
you have members of an alumni association, you have a particular class.
May God preserve this class, and may the membership of this class
continue to advance.”
Oshiomhole continued, “With Godwin, I
think one of us is taking over. We have a sense that the man who chaired
our economic team with whom we had debates is going to continue. My
prayer is that he will avoid our own mistakes and build on our strength
and that the economic environment will be sufficiently enabling to
enable him to do all of the good things I know he has in his heart,
because what brought us together was the Edo project. I know he has
passion; he has a commitment; he has the energy and he has the honesty
of purpose, and above all, he has the competence. What he will need from
us is the prayer for God to enable him to do so well that this club of
which he was a member, he will be an example of how members of this club
are performing and growing from strength to strength. Thank you so very
much.”
Also speaking, the State Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius
Odubu said, “I recall with nostalgia the very early days of our
relationship. The very first time we met with regard to this project was
in Abuja, and it was as if we had known each other for donkey years. We
bonded as brothers. I recall again the trying moment, the trying period
when our mandate was stolen. You provided exemplary leadership. Mr.
Governor, sir, to say that you have performed beyond previously
established boundaries will be to state the obvious.
“To also
say that you began well and ended well will also be to state the
obvious. Mr. Governor, sir, you have changed the Edo narrative.”
Dr.
Odubu continued, “Before now, many of us were ashamed to identify
ourselves as coming from Edo State. Today, we hold our heads high in
various places to say, we are bonafide Edo indigenes. I want to thank
you. My association with you has made me a better man.
In
you, Nigerians have found a man who is worthy of emulation, a man that
is selfless, a man that is dedicated not only to the course of Nigerians
but the course of the common man. You have proved that tough times
don’t last, but tough people do. You have taught us to fight; you have
taught us to fight well. Be rest assured of your place in history
because you did the greatest good for the greatest number of people in
the shortest possible time. It remains for me, therefore, with blessed
assurance to wish you a blessed future. I wish you all that you wish
yourself.
Other members of the Edo State executive council
took turns to pay glowing tributes to the Governor while the Governor
thanked them one after the other.
Oshiomhole holds valedictory exco meeting
Reviewed by getitrightnigerians
on
12:52:00
Rating: