Why I delayed constitution of my cabinet — Obaseki

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has opened up on the reasons why he delayed the constitution of his cabinet several months after the start of his second term in office.

Obaseki spoke Wednesday while fielding questions from State House reporters after a meeting with Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff to the President, on the planned return of stolen Benin artifacts from foreign countries to Nigeria and the plan to build a museum in his state in collaboration with the federal government and other partners.

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The governor said the last six months had been spent to restructure process of government, particularly the civil service.

Obaseki said he had mandated wards and local governments to give nominations (commissioners), adding that the selection team is being put in place to screen the candidates before submission to the state House of Assembly.

Asked if he was still a friend of President Muhammadu Buhari even after leaving the APC to win his return election on the PDP platform, Obaseki said: “You know, for a man who did so much for me, how I cannot ever be friends with him? You know, he is someone I admire and you know, he is someone I have a lot of respect for.”