Victor Ezeja
Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki on Monday appointed a new deputy governor, Omobayo Godwins Marvellous, following the impeachment of the former deputy governor of the state, Philip Shaibu.
Omobayo, a 38-year-old engineer has been sworn in by the Edo State Chief Judge, Justice Daniel Okungbowa.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelIn his acceptance speech, Engr Omobayo said he would support Governor Godwin Obaseki to finish strong in his second term.
He said he was surprised to be counted worthy of being appointed by Obaseki as the deputy governor of the state.
He said this was the first time his people of Akoko-Edo had such an opportunity in the history of the state.
He said: ‘I looked through my history books and discovered that Akoko-Edo has never served in this capacity. I talked to a few key leaders from Akoko-Edo, across party lines, and all fingers pointed at you.
“The ultimate decision, however, came from God, and I could not say no.’ These were the words of His Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki, my namesake. A tale of two Godwins, you may say.
“Even though l was dumbfounded, l also could not say no for several reasons. First, my people of Akoko-Edo would never have forgiven me if l had messed up the only chance God, history and ripe time have given them since creation.
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He thanked the governor for the opportunity to serve the state in that capacity.
Here are things to know about the deputy governor
Omobayo was born on July 19, 1986, and hails from Ibillo in Akoko-Edo local government area.
He has a Bachelors degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and a Master of Science in Public Administration from the University of Benin (UNIBEN).
Omobayo is a registered member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).
He vied for the Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives during the 2023 elections on the platform of the Labour Party but lost to Taiwo Akerele of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The political rift between the governor and Shaibu came to a climax with the impeachment done by the state House of Assembly.
18 of the 24 members of the state Assembly approved the impeachment motion against Shaibu after reviewing the findings of the seven-member panel appointed by Justice Daniel Okungbowa, the chief judge of the state.
The impeachment is the first in the state. Shaibu was accused of gross misconduct. Specifically, he was accused of perjury, revealing official secrets and anti-party activities.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
