By Osaigbovo Iguobaro
Governor Godwin Obaseki has made his second appointment, seven months after he was sworn-in for a second term in office.
This followed the appointment of Mr. Osaigbovo Iyoha Toni as the Chief of Staff.
The Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie who became the first appointee in the government said in a statement on Wednesday that Iyoha’s appointment takes immediate effect.
Iyoha, who served as the immediate Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters (Edo South), was a member of the State House of Assembly representing Oredo East Constituency, from 2015 to 2019, where he attained the position of Chief Whip.
According to Ogie, “Hon. Iyoha Osaigbovo Toni, born on 6th of July 1973, holds a Bachelors’ degree in Mechanical Engineering from Ambrose Alli University, (formerly Edo State University) and a Masters of Engineering degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Benin (UNIBEN).
Obaseki announced the appointment of Mr. Osarodion Ogie, Secretary to the State Government on November 14, 2020, two days after he was sworn-in for a second term in office.
Following the uncertainty that surrounded his appointment, Mr. Ogie said in a terse statement that the Governor has suspended further appointments till February 2021.
But the State House of Assembly had given the Governor a clean bill of Health to appoint 15 Special Advisers who are yet to be named.
Recall that Iyoha defected with Governor Obaseki from the All Progressives Congress to Peoples Democratic party to All Progressives Congress (APC) in last September.
This was after he lost his bid to represent Oredo Federal Constituency in the 2019 general elections to Mr. Ogbeide Ihama, Candidate of PDP in the election.
The appointment of the new Chief of Staff have laid to rest the speculation that the Governor had shortlisted Dr. Tony Aiziegbemi suspended State Chairman of PDP.
The apponitee, is presently concluding a Ph.D in Industrial Engineering from UNIBEN. He is a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers”.
He is a resourceful and result-oriented professional with eighteen (18) years’ work experience in Nigeria’s public and private sectors. His experience spans across Construction, Legislation, Public Service and Industrial Engineering.
