Mr. Clem Agba, the minister of State Budget and National Planning has declared that his encounter with President Muhammadu Buhari in Benin City, Edo State, marked a tale of a new beginning in his life.

Agba hinted that the President’s visit to the State on November 8, 2016 was at the instance of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, former governor of the State who convinced him to quit his job in a multinational company for a State assignment before his appointment as a minister by the President two years ago.

The minister who spoke on Saturday at the conferment of Chieftaincy title on him by the Otaru of Auchi, Alhaji Aliru Momoh, Ikelebe III in Etsako West Local Government Area of the State, said he lost his parents when he was two years old.

He poured a national affection for the President, but did not share detail of what transpired thereafter at the twilight of Oshiomhole’s administration, which he served as the Commissioner for Environment and Public Utility.

Agba who became emotional at while making his remark, said: “I am indeed very grateful to all of you… God has continued to use people to raise me. God has used people to bring me to where I am. And what I owe God is to give back to the society.

“I also owe a lot of gratitude to His Excellency, Mr. President. I only had one encounter with him in Benin November 8, 2016 when he was invited by His Excellency, Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole.

He (Oshiomhole) invited me to serve with him as a Commissioner. I said I wasn’t going , and he said No! We do not have enough money to pay you. I came in. And today, to the glory of God, I don’t know what I owe this honour for.

“The rest is history. I don’t know where I got to where I am as a minister. So, Mr. Vice President, please help me to thank His Excellency for this honour that he has given me. There are over 200 million Nigerians he would have considered, but he gave me…I am now becoming very emotional”,

“Four women have really made impact in my life. One is not here today. That is my beloved mother. The other is my lovely wife, Princess Orobosa Catherine Agba — she is the only mother of my Children. I do not have any other Children. And then, the other woman who have made impact in my life is the Honourable minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning”, he said.

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