Godwin Obaseki, the outgoing Governor of Edo State, says there will be a problem if the incoming government of Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress, APC, prioritizes politics over security, noting that the citizens will demand a secure environment.
DAILY POST reports that Obaseki, who spoke at the last State Security Council Meeting with heads of security agencies in the state, boasted that his government is leaving the security of the State much better than he met it in 2016.
He, however, advised the incoming government against prioritizing politics over security.
DAILY POST reports that Obaseki was first elected governor of the state in 2016 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and was reelected in 2020 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
He would be completing his eight years as governor on November 12, 2024, when he would be handing over to Okpebholo.
Obaseki said, “I am leaving Edo much better, security-wise, than when I met it. My advice to the incoming administration is to take security seriously and never prioritize politics over security because there will be problems as citizens need to demand a secure environment.
“We have shown that it’s possible because we have men and women who have the capacity and training to offer security services to the State and the people of the State.
“We will continue to ensure you protect our country as nobody will fix Nigeria for us; we have to fix it ourselves. We should realize that we have no other country to call our own and no matter the frustration, we should ensure we fix the country.”
Obaseki who attributed his success to the collaboration and support received from heads of security agencies, posited that together, they have changed the narrative and the perception of security in the state.
He also attributed the development and growth in the domestic environment, as well as the interest of investors in the state to “secured environment in the state”.
He added that in the last eight years, his administration has prioritized security and invested hugely in the state’s security architecture, transforming Edo into one of Nigeria’s safest states to live in and do business.
He commended the people and the various security agencies in the state for supporting and collaborating with his government in tackling insecurity and ensuring the safety and security of people and properties in the State.
“I thank all security agencies in the state for the collaboration as their efforts have made the state secure and safe for all.
“The spirit of collaboration has helped us solve many problems in the area of security. I commend the Department of State Security (DSS) as they were open and ready to give us information always. By adopting technology, we were able to cover the state and make it safe for our people.
“Using technology, we have been able to document every incident in the state and review the same, and work together to respond to the security situation in the state.
“The civil defense corps has been a great collaborator in terms of improving security in the state and by extension the protection of federal assets in Edo State. As a state, we can tackle security challenges head-on as our collaboration has yielded positive results.
“The traffic agencies have done an amazing job in the last eight years as there have been improvements in the flow of traffic across the state”, he added.
The governor called for the participation of all stakeholders in fixing the nation, noting that “No one can fix Nigeria but us”.
