Obaseki don’t empower dissidents – APC youth leader tells Kabaka

The Edo State chapter, All Progressives Congress (APC) youth leader, Valentine Asuen has reiterated that the state Governor Godwin Obaseki would not empower dissidents in his administration.

Asuen disclosed this at a media briefing held on Wednesday at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State secretariat, Benin City, where he dissociated from statements credited to self acclaimed leader of the aggrieved APC youths, Tony ‘Kabaka’ Adun on Monday.

It could be recalled that Kabaka, on Monday led a group of aggrieved youths that cut across the 18 local governments to the NUJ secretariat, threatened to withdraw their support for Obaseki reelection bid in 2019 for failing to fulfill his electioneering promises to the youths.

However, Asuen, who stormed the secretariat alongside other members stated that since the inception of this government, Edo youths have been involved on virtually every policy initiative and programme in every sector of the state through the various organs of the party.

“Edo youths with the right skills set and qualifications are being employed and trained daily through EdoJobs and the Edo Innovation Hub, without knowing people in government.

“Thousands of Edo youths have been engaged through the Public Works Volunteer scheme headed by Muktaru Yusuf, and the Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA), who are adding value to governance on a daily basis.

“It is obvious that Tony Kabaka who has zero academic qualification, no known technocrat or vocational skills, and who clearly does not fit into the new Edo State governance system, and who has refused to embrace several skills acquisition programmes to learn a trade to add value to his life, has something he has not told Edo people.

“Because he associated with our great party and on sympathy with his zero qualification status, he was engaged to support the security arrangement for Oba market, one of the largest markets in the state.

“Does Kabaka want the jobs of technocrat with multiple postgraduate degrees ad several years of work experience. How will he function. At this pint, I wish to ask Tony Kabaka to produce his certificate in any vocation or profession, so that he can duly engaged.

“Never again will stark illiterates do the jobs that are constitutionally reserved for local or other tiers of government. Revenue collection at the local level is the sole function of councils, and as sticker for rules. The Obaseki administration will not negotiate god governance with dissidents.

“If Kabaka thinks that after self-serving outcry, the government will hand over the state government machinery to him enrich himself, he needs a rethink, as that will not happen.

“The youth wing hereby passed vote of implicit confidence on Governor Godwin Obaseki and his administration. No party leaders have been retired as purported by Kabaka in his protest message.”