By Kingston Magare 19.12.2025
Edo State former governor, Godwin Obaseki, has fired a warning to politicians who promise voters a good life only to end up enriching themselves and cronies when win elections.
Obaseki whose tenure expired in September 2024 said in a video posted on his X social media page that politics is about service to the people and not to acquire wealth.
“If you are in politics just to get power, and when you get that power it is only for you, your friends and those close to you, then God will punish you,” Obaseki said.
“Power is given by God for a purpose. If God has given you power and you cannot use it to serve Him by serving the people and glorifying His name, then you have missed the essence of leadership.”
Obaseki rooted for Asue Ighodalo to replace him as governor, but he was outmaneuvered in the election by the All-Progressive Congress and its candidate Monday Okpebholo in a highly contentious election.
“I have no regrets about my time in office. If I am given another opportunity, I won’t change anything. In fact, I will do the same things even more, and I will do them quicker and faster,” he said.
Obaseki noted that while his administration recorded achievements in several sectors, particularly education, he wished some reforms had started earlier to allow more time for their impact to be felt.
“On education, for instance, I wish we had started some of the reforms earlier so that by the time we were leaving, people would have seen even more results,” he added.
He also defended his decision to support a successor, describing it as a deliberate effort to sustain policies and reforms initiated by his government.
“That is why we fought to bring in someone I know will continue. Everything I did was planned. All the actions I took were for the benefit of the people, not for myself,” Obaseki said.