By Ishaya Ibrahim
Even before getting into the Government House in Benin, the incoming Edo Government has already borrowed between N2 billion to N5 billion to fund the inauguration coming up on November 12.
The outgoing Governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki made the allegation in Benin during the inauguration of the caretaker committee for the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He lamented that as the outgoing governor, the APC did not carry his government along or invite him for the inauguration.
“We have almost N27 billion to pay for projects and obligations, but they have started blowing it, and they have gone to borrow money for the inauguration which is going to cost them N2 to N5 billion. That is the money they will first take from the treasury.
“In this holiday period, they will want to spend as much money as possible to confuse the people. They are going to struggle to change their perception.
“They are doing an inauguration and the governor is not even invited. It is like they are starting a brand new government and a brand new state,” he said.
He assured the party members that he would not be far away from the party as he would remain in the party to give advice.
“We will get our stolen mandate back for the sake of Nigeria because if we allow the APC to go with our stolen mandate, it will mark the end of democracy in Nigeria. This fight is not for our candidate but for the people of Nigeria and our nation’s democracy,” he said.
But a member of the APC transition committee, Prince Kassim Afegbua, dismissed Obaseki’s claim that APC was already spending into the almost N27 billion Obaseki kept for the payment of ongoing projects.
“Is that not an indictment on his government that a government that is supposed to organise inauguration for us is running away?
“Is Donald Trump going to inaugurate himself? Is it not an outgoing government that should inaugurate an incoming one? Does it make sense that somebody coming in is the one who will organize his own event?”
” That they’ve been running away is not enough that we are not inviting him when they’re not forthcoming,” he said.
