The governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, has vowed to expose former governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for what he describes as the "rot and fraud" that took place under their leadership. In a statement issued through his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, Okpebholo alleges that the mismanagement of state resources and the allocation of wealth to a few corrupt individuals during Obaseki's administration caused significant harm to the people of Edo State.
According to Itua, the factional chapter of the PDP in the state has yet to accept the reality that it is now in opposition and should be apologizing to the people for its role in mismanaging public funds. The statement criticized the PDP for damaging the reputation of traditional institutions and misappropriating the state's resources. Itua added that Governor Okpebholo is dedicated to rapidly developing the state, having already taken decisive action on multiple issues since his inauguration just two weeks ago.
“Since becoming governor, Okpebholo has addressed and solved issues that the Obaseki-led administration failed to tackle in eight years. These include banning the activities of touts who were employed by the former administration across various markets in the state, confronting violent cult clashes in Benin City, and stopping illegal revenue collection practices,” Itua explained in the statement.
Governor Okpebholo has also taken significant steps to improve the state’s infrastructure, such as launching the first flyover bridge in Edo State. He is committed to addressing and reversing what he claims are the deliberate challenges created by Obaseki’s government. Okpebholo and his administration are now focused on exposing the alleged corrupt activities of Obaseki’s administration, including the controversial distribution of nearly 500 government-owned vehicles to Obaseki’s cronies and allies.
The statement concludes with a strong warning that the Okpebholo-led administration will not be deterred by any form of blackmail in its efforts to recover the stolen wealth of the people. Okpebholo emphasized that the PDP and Obaseki’s actions will soon be exposed, promising full accountability for the damage caused by the previous administration.
In response, the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused Governor Okpebholo of illegal actions, alleging that he had sent thugs to the private residence of former Governor Obaseki in the name of recovering government vehicles. The PDP further accused Okpebholo and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of sending thugs to invade the PDP’s state secretariat in an attempt to steal and destroy court documents related to the recent governorship election in the state.
