The All Progressives Congress (APC) transition committee has confirmed that outgoing Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, was deliberately excluded from the inauguration ceremony of Senator Monday Okpebholo as the new governor, due to Obaseki’s perceived attempts to disrupt the handover process.
A report by Naijawebinfo reveals that Okpebholo, the APC candidate, emerged victorious in the September 21, 2024 governorship election, defeating his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Okpebholo is set to succeed Obaseki, whose tenure concludes on November 12, 2024.
According to Prince Kassim Afegbua, a member of the APC transition committee, Obaseki was preoccupied with creating obstacles rather than helping to plan a smooth transfer of power.
Afegbua issued a statement criticizing Obaseki for complaining about not being invited to the inauguration and making claims about the budget, calling it “laughable” and “self-indicting.”
Obaseki, in a previous statement, alleged that Okpebholo had borrowed funds from the state’s allocated budget for projects, estimating the amount to be between ₦2 billion and ₦5 billion.
However, the APC transition committee rejected these allegations, asserting that such statements were simply a result of the PDP’s defeat in the election.
Obaseki also questioned the inauguration expenses, speculating that it would cost between ₦2 billion and ₦5 billion, and demanded a transparency in the process.
Responding to these allegations, Afegbua stated that the APC committee was fully aware of their responsibilities as outgoing leaders to facilitate the transition process and had even taken personal responsibility for the inauguration expenses to ensure the event remained modest and focused on the people’s needs.
The committee emphasized that no funds had been borrowed for the inauguration, unlike Obaseki’s allegations, and reaffirmed its commitment to prudent financial management.
“Godwin Obaseki realizes the ephemerality of power and resorts to lamentations about the ongoing inauguration without extending an invitation,” Afegbua explained. “This is an attempt to disrupt the process and frustrate the handover of power.”
“Instead of planning the inauguration, Governor Obaseki is preoccupied with creating obstacles for the smooth transfer of power,” Afegbua added.
Afegbua also raised concerns over allegations of misappropriation of government assets, claiming that most government vehicles had been taken by officials, leaving only one functional vehicle at the Edo State Government House.
He called for transparency and a smooth transition of power, citing the recent actions of government officials that seemed to question the genuine intentions of the outgoing government.
