Edo North Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, has come out in defense of his son, Cyril, who was recently appointed as the Commissioner of Health in Edo State. The appointment, made by Governor Monday Okphebolo in November, has been met with criticism from some quarters, with many describing it as a “state capture” and a reward for Oshiomhole’s support during the governor’s election.
Oshiomhole, a former governor of Edo State, addressed the controversy during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme. He stated, “He doesn’t work under me; maybe Governor Monday is grooming him. When I was in Edo, I stopped him when he wanted to go for the House of Reps. I said no and supported another guy. The second time he wanted to try, I said no. This time the governor decided to pick him. He is qualified.”
The senator also revealed that he had expressed concerns to the governor about the potential backlash, saying, “I did express my concerns when I heard. I called him and expressed my concerns. I expressed those concerns to the governor that people might say this and that.”
Oshiomhole emphasized his son’s qualifications, stating, “I invested in my children’s education. I didn’t want them to go through what I went through. So, Dr Cyril is not just a medical doctor from ABU (Ahmadu Bello University), he went to do post-graduate in two universities in the US including Harvard and another university in Louisiana. He does something about public health.”
He concluded by saying, “So, he is not having it because he is Oshiomhole; I will say he is having in spite of being Oshiomhole”.
