I had no choice but to dislodge non-state actors – Obaseki

I had no choice but to dislodge non-state actors – Obaseki


The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said he had no choice but to dislodge non-state actors.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Crusoe Osagie, Obaseki said the actions of non-state actors had threatened the State when he assumed office in 2016.

He said, “When the change occurred in 2016, I had no doubt in my mind to jump into the train to continue the reforms which we had started, but what I didn’t realise is that the rot was so deep and fundamental; it was not just a rot in physical expression but it was becoming cultural.


“I just could not understand why Oredo Local Government Area, for instance, could not earn more than five million naira as taxes monthly, meanwhile, there were non-state actors who were celebrating having billions in their private bank accounts at the expense of government.

“Once I came in, these non-state actors began to almost physically threaten the State and I had no choice than to dislodge them in good faith.



“I thought we were all comfortable with the sanity in the city. But today, what do we have? A fightback from these characters and they are getting support from sources you can’t believe,” the governor was quoted in the statement.

The PUNCH had reported that Obaseki promised to dethrone godfatherism in the State.