The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State on Wednesday decried the delay by Governor Godwin Obaseki to constitute the state executive council more than three months after he was inaugurated for a second term in office.

Obaseki was a member of the APC before he defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, where he ran for and won re-election.

David Imuse, who heads the APC caretaker committee in the state, said in a statement on Wednesday that Edo State could not afford a further delay in the constitution of the state executive council.

The statement was issued by the APC spokesperson in the state, Victor Osehobo.

Imuse, a retired army colonel, reminded Mr Obaseki of his promise when he announced the appointment of the secretary to the State Government on November 16 that he would constitute the state executive council in the first week of February.

“This is the first week of March, the governor’s inaction has not only crippled government’s business but demonstrated that he is a man whose word is not his bond.

“Edo cannot afford further delay, (it is) for the governor to make these vital appointments,” he said.

The APC chairman said, “Section 192 of the Nigerian constitution, as amended, is clear on the issue of state commissioners.

“Permanent secretaries cannot do much as they look up to commissioners for direction on policy issues.

“The section gives the governor a public mandate, rather than private, to appoint commissioners to form not just the state’s executive council, but also the think tank for the development of the state’s economy and well-being of the people.

“Right now the day-to-day operations of the different state ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), have come to a halt, while the coordination of important government businesses has become weaker with the unnecessary overload on the Secretary to State Government.”

Governor Obaseki is running Edo State as a sole administrator, while using permanent secretaries as acting heads of ministries whose capacities were limited, the APC said.

Newsmen could not get the comment of the Edo State Government for this report, since the government was yet to appoint commissioners, including a spokesperson for the governor.

TodayNG