A terse circular from the office of the Head of Service dated 16th September, was issued directing all civil servants to assemble at the Victor Uwaifo Hub on Tuesday, 17th September at the instance of the Governor, Godwin Obaseki. At the meeting on Tuesday, 8.00am, the Governor issued out a fiat that any of the civil servants who refused to vote for his candidate, Asue Ighodalo, would be summarily sacked. He directed the Directors and senior cadre staff to inform their subordinates of the directive which according to him must be complied with. Even when some of the staff were grumbling, a visibly angry Governor Obaseki, vowed to deal ruthlessly with the staff if they failed to comply with the directive. According to Governor Obaseki, the election would be a do or die contest, and he directed the staff and civil servants to join him in the exercise of taking Edo state back by fire and by force.
He also assured them that he would give them hazard allowances starting from Thursday to motivate the civil servants for the voting exercise. If the Governor gives you money, collect it. After all, the money belongs to the people. Collect the money and vote your conscience. We wish to assure the great Edo state Civil Servants that we are with them. The right to vote and be voted for is enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and nobody, no matter how powerful can take that right away. We wish to further reassure the Civil Servants in the state that the incoming APC-led government will not only pay the National Minimum Wage, but will also ensure that other allowances are provided to make life easy for the average civil servant. We understand that what the civil servants take home from their promised N70k is actually N54k, but the incoming APC government will pay N70k in full as well as other allowances. We are calling on all Edo civil servants to go out enmasse to vote for the APC and Senator Monday Okpebholo on Saturday, 21st September. Nobody will molest anyone. We need your support and your votes, to make Edo state a better place for all. Governor Obaseki should stop this idea of coercing the Civil Servants to vote for his preferred candidate. Edo Civil Servants are no kids. They have eyes to see the rots in the state. They have since concluded to support the APC for a new lease of life that will usher in positive developments across the state.
PRINCE KASSIM AFEGBUA