APC also refuted claims that it borrowed between N2 billion and N5 billion to finance Okpebholo’s inauguration
By Kehinde Okeowo
The All Progressives Congress (APC) transition committee on Sunday justified its decision not to invite the outgoing Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki to the inauguration of the governor-elect, Monday Okpebholo.
Speaking via a statement made available to journalists in Benin City, titled, “Obaseki and his lamentations”, a member of the APC transition committee, Kassim Afegbua, claimed the governor was left out because he planned to frustrate the inauguration ceremony.
He further noted that rather than sit down to plan the inauguration event as it is done in other climes, the outgoing governor was busy planting landmines on the path to smooth transfer of power.
Obaseki, while inaugurating a 10-man caretaker committee of the State’s chapter of PDP on Friday, stated that he was not invited to the inauguration.
He also accused the incoming administration of taking money from the N27 billion he intended to use to pay for projects and other obligations.
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He said, “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.
“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.”
Reacting to the allegations, Afegbua described Governor Obaseki’s remarks as generously laughable and self-indicting.
He also refuted claims that the APC borrowed taken between N2 billion and N5 billion to finance Okpebholo’s inauguration.
He said, “Suddenly, Godwin Obaseki realizes the ephemerality of power and now resorts to lamentations about an ongoing inauguration without extending an invitation to him. We found this to be generously laughable and self-indicting.
“In other climes, an outgoing governor or president organizes the inauguration of the incoming, but for the painful loss of the PDP at the election, Governor Obaseki and his co-travelers are doing everything possible to frustrate the inauguration of the incoming Governor.
“Rather than sit down to plan the inauguration event as it is done in other climes, Governor Obaseki is busy planting landmines on the path to smooth transfer of power.
“From the transition committee to the inauguration committee, despite all the cooperation we have extended to them, what we have received in return is frustration and a deliberate plot to overburden the new administration with all manner of misplaced government decisions.
“We frown at these dubious plots which are clear negations of the standard procedures of power transfer the world over.
“Our inauguration team met with the Secretary to the State Government, who later handed our team over to another Permanent Secretary.
“The said Permanent Secretary had nothing on her table. She asked that our team should present an inauguration budget, and we declined because we wouldn’t want them to accuse us of spending bogus funds for the inauguration.”
He also noted that the governor-elect cut down the inauguration ceremony’s
budget.
“He has also cut down on the activities to make the entire ceremony a bit moderate. He doesn’t believe in an ostentatious display of resources when a lot of Edo people have been impoverished by Governor Obaseki. He’s of the view that the inauguration shouldn’t be an elaborate event.
“We have not borrowed a kobo from anywhere. We are not Governor Obaseki and his profligate self. We are conscious of our responsibilities to make life better for the average Edo person”, he added.
Afegbua, however, raised the alarm that most government vehicles have been allegedly carted away by government officials, adding that there was only one functional vehicle in the Edo State Government House.
“Why should we borrow money because of the inauguration? Do you know as we speak that most government vehicles have been carted away by government officials?
“There is only one functional vehicle in Edo state Government House. Every vehicle has been carted away. Is that a government that is interested in inauguration? he queried.
