CHIEF of Staff to Governor Godwin Obaseki, Taiwo Akerele, has faulted claims that the governor did not continue with his predecessor’s projects and policies.

Akerele said it was not proper for Obaseki to continue with certain “bad policies” of the Adams Oshiomhole administration.

He told reporters that Obaseki continued with good policies on the education sector and on infrastructure development.

He said Governor Obaseki was blending investment with politics and governance to ensure Edo people were happy.

Akerele insisted that Obaseki would win the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries because those opposing his second term bid were not in control of the Edo APC structure.

He Obaseki always carried the party structure along in all his decisions.

He said: “If the Governor wanted to be a dictator, he would take charge and not concede these decisions. He does not want to appropriate authority to himself.

“He wants the will of the people to prevail. He had come under pressure to be in charge of the party but he said ‘no’, that there is a party structure.

“There is continuity everywhere. Was the governor not given an award recently by the Nigeria Union of Teachers?

“It was as a result of the fact that we continued from where the former government stopped, which we were part of. The former government built structures but we are building the human capacity in the schools.

“We are now training teachers. That was not the priority of the former government. It made sure the roofs were not leaking, and that there were tables and chairs. We have to move and progress.

“We have to train human beings teaching the students and we have committed huge resources into building the capacity of teachers.”

Akerele said the Obaseki administration did not continue with all he inherited.

“There are certain things that were bad in the previous government that we cannot continue. The good ones we will continue. They should leave the governor to work and allow him to be the leader of the party in the state.

“The governor must be the leader of the party. We know how party structures are managed in Nigeria. Why will Edo State be different? There cannot be two captains in a ship.”

Meanwhile, the governor has restated his directive that officials should not join issues with APC National Chairman and former governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

The Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Hon. Paul Ohonbamu and Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, in a statement, warned those bent on disrupting public peace.

The statement reads: “The Edo State Government has again taken notice of extremely hostile, malicious and incorrect statements attributed to Oshiomhole by his media aides in various newspapers and media outfits.

“This continuous spewing of invectives and purposely distorted accounts are aimed at creating a sense of tension and crisis in and around the state and the country when none exists.

“Governor Godwin Obaseki has, therefore, restated that on no account should any government official in Edo State join issues on the continuous unwarranted vitriolic comments on the person of the governor and the government by Oshiomhole’s media aides purportedly acting at his behest.

“The position of the government is to pursue the path of peace in dealing with ensuing issues for the good of all Edo people.

“As Governor and leader, Obaseki is in firm control of the APC in Edo State and there is no reason whatsoever to even moot the idea of leaving the party where he enjoys tremendous support and goodwill both at the state and the national levels.

“The governor, however, warns those intent on disrupting public peace that he is determined in his resolve to continuously carry out his primary responsibility of maintaining order and protecting lives and property as the Chief Security Officer of the state.”