Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has said he would probe the administration of his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki.
Obaseki governed the Niger Delta State from 2016 to 2024 until his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was ousted by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Okpebholo said his government will set up a Commission of Inquiry to look into Obaseki’s records.
He disclosed this while speaking to party leaders, youths, market women, civil servants, professional bodies and groups during a victory parade held on Friday in Government House, Benin City, Edo State.
“I will open the books to check the financial dealings and how Obaseki governed Edo State in the last eight years. A university in this State received N47 million under Obaseki’s administration, while he paid a consultant N51 million. This was not good enough. They wanted to continue with this act, but God helped us to push them out,” Okpebholo stated.
“Since I came into the office, I have not sacked anybody but rather continued with the civil servants I met in the office. The Head of Service during Obaseki’s administration is still working with me. So also with a lot of Permanent Secretaries in the civil service.”
According to the governor, officials who served in Obaseki’s government would also be interrogated on how they governed the Edo people in the last eight years.
“Edo was tired of transactional people and thieves, but now we will look into their records. I will take two years out of eight years, and Edo people will see the difference. We will set up a Commission of Inquiry to look into the books and dealings of the previous administration. We will open an interrogation to check their records.
“They have finished fighting us, and now I am ready to fight back and ensure that all those who cheated Edo people in the last eight years are brought to book,” he said.
He specifically said that the PDP candidate in the last governorship election, Asue Ighodalo and his party kept money for the election as well as for court cases.
“They were looking for judges to bribe or buy, but they could not find any. They kept money for the election as well as court cases, but God disappointed them. The people voted for me as their Governor, and the various courts affirmed the mandate. The Supreme Court judgment is the final as the five judges ruled in my favour,” Okpebholo said.
Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa, who was also excited at the Supreme Court ruling, commended the governor for helping the party win the various stages of court cases, stating that it is now time to be focused and work for the Edo people.
A former deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, thanked God for Okpebholo’s victory. He said this is the time to work as Edo people will be grateful for voting for Senator Monday Okpebholo as their governor.
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