Benin City witnessed heightened political drama recently as the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State threw down the gauntlet to former Governor Godwin Obaseki. APC chieftain and member of the Edo State Assets Verification Committee, Prince Kassim Afegbua, boldly challenged Obaseki to walk through the streets of Benin City. He sweetened the deal with a ₦50 million reward if the former governor is greeted with an overwhelmingly warm reception. Speaking at a press briefing following the inauguration of the Assets Verification Committee by Governor Monday Okpebholo, Afegbua dismissed criticisms from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as baseless distractions. “The PDP’s allegations are designed to mislead the public,” Afegbua said. “They claim we shut down the e-governance platform, but what they call e-governance was actually a hub for e-corruption. We’ve struggled to access critical data left by the previous administration.” Afegbua also rebuffed accusations that APC members attacked the PDP secretariat, labeling the claims as an attempt to tarnish the ruling party’s image. Instead, he emphasized the APC’s commitment to rebuilding Edo State, describing the previous administration’s tenure as one that left the state in “ruins of underdevelopment.” Transparency and Accountability Defending the Assets Verification Committee, Afegbua highlighted the importance of auditing the state’s assets. “Globally, it’s standard practice to review the state of affairs during a government transition. Edo State is no exception,” he remarked. The Street Walk Challenge Afegbua escalated the political tensions with his daring challenge. “If the PDP believes Obaseki is truly beloved, they should invite him for a street walk in Benin. We’re offering ₦50 million to see whether the people will celebrate or reject him,” he declared. Allegations of Coordinated Attacks Afegbua also accused Obaseki of orchestrating misinformation campaigns against the new administration. “He is sponsoring coordinated attacks to tarnish our image, but Edo people are wiser now and can see through these antics,” Afegbua added. As Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration takes the reins, the political atmosphere in Edo State continues to intensify. The APC remains steadfast in its pledge to bring transparency, development, and renewed trust to the people of Edo. READ ALSO:
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of borrowing between N2 billion and N5 billion to fund the inauguration of the incoming administration. Speaking at the inauguration of a 10-member caretaker committee of the State’s PDP in Benin City, Governor Obaseki stated that nearly N27 billion, reserved for ongoing projects and obligations by his government, had already been accessed by the new administration. He criticized this expenditure, expressing concern that these funds were being used during a holiday period to create confusion and shift public perception. Obaseki further lamented that his administration was excluded from the inauguration ceremony, indicating that the incoming government was treating the event as the start of a completely new regime. Senator Monday Okpebholo of the APC, who defeated the PDP’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo, in the September 2024 gubernatorial election, is set to be sworn in on November 12, 2024. Governor Obaseki reassured the PDP that he would remain committed to the party and provide guidance, emphasizing that they would reclaim what he called a stolen mandate for the sake of democracy in Nigeria. He stressed that if the APC retained the governorship, it could signal the erosion of democratic values in the country. PDP’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo, urged party members to prepare for a challenging legal battle to reclaim the mandate. He outlined that responses to petitions were expected in the coming days, with the pre-hearing phase anticipated to begin by late November. Meanwhile, the APC in Edo State has accused Obaseki’s administration of misappropriating N14 billion out of N24.6 billion recently deposited in the state’s account. The party also claimed that Obaseki had sought and secured approval for three supplementary budgets since January 2024, including a N450 billion budget passed just before the September election. READ ALSO:
