Edo Govt Gives Okpebholo 48 Hours to Provide Evidence to Looting Allegations

.State govt, governor-elect’s teams meet, draw up framework for engagement of joint transition c’ttee

The Edo State Government has given Senator Monday Okpebholo 48 hours to substantiate the looting and vandalism allegations, which he levelled against the government.

This comes as a joint-session of the Transition Committees for the Edo State Government and Okpebholo held its inaugural meeting yesterday, in Benin City.

In a statement by the Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, the government challenged Okpebholo to provide the names of banks from which the government has taken any loans in the last three months according to his allegations or any other evidence to validate his spurious and baseless claims, in line with the principle that he who alleges must prove.

He said, “The Edo State Government is giving a 48-hour ultimatum to Senator Monday Okpebholo to provide verifiable proof to substantiate his claims that government officials are looting and vandalising assets in the state.

“We are a very serious government and there is no room for such spurious and unfounded allegations which is why we are demanding that Okpebholo and his handlers should within the next 48 hours provide credible and verifiable proof to substantiate their claims.

“Okpehbolo must understand that the business of governance in Edo State is very serious,  and the office of Governor is not for palace jesters.

“It is on this ground that we demand that he, within the next 48 hours, provide empirical evidence to substantiate his spurious looting allegations against the state government.”

“Otherwise, he must tender unreserved apology to the State Government” Osagie averred.

Meanwhile, the joint-session of the Transition Committees for the Edo State Government and Senator Monday Okpebholo held its inaugural meeting yesterday.

Addressing the joint-session of the transition committees, Chairman of the State Government Transition Committee and Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Joseph Eboigbe, said the committee will accord Monday Okpebholo and his team the needed support by providing all documents needed for a seamless transition.

He noted, “This is the first time in Edo State where we will transit government from one party to another. Although we have been working since the election came to an end, we have also been reflecting. We know ourselves, we are anticipating and expecting and have designed processes to ensure the processes are very seamless, and ensure collaborative deliberations, having at the back of our minds the interest of the good citizens of Edo State.

“It is against that background that I welcome every one of us all here to this critically shared task of ensuring a smooth and effective transition.”

He said the outgoing administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki in the past eight years concentrated basically on certain thematic pillars to improve lives and well-being of Edo residents, namely: institutional reforms, ICT ecosystem, social welfare enhancement, infrastructural development and environment with economic revolution, culture and tourism.

Eboigbe added, “It is with a deep sense of duty and commitment as we gather here today not only to facilitate the handover of governance but to also build on the foundation of progress for the future of Edo State.  

“By the time we make the information available, you will see that quite a lot of work has been done, quite a lot of reforms and innovation and therefore our collaboration is on that basis to build upon the foundation of progress and to move Edo forward.”

He further noted, “As the outgoing transition committee, our role has been to diligently document and present the achievements, lessons and frameworks of Governor Obaseki’s administration.

“About 90 per cent of the membership of the outgoing transition committee are public servants and this was a deliberate effort on the part of Governor Obaseki to ensure that we have a framework that will guarantee institutional history, a memory.”

He continued, “As we interface today and also next week, our confidence that the spirit of cooperation and mutual respect that have defined our engagement will continue. Like I mentioned earlier, the outgoing committee has a life span. So, we expect this engagement to continue leading up to inauguration processes.

“We are here to offer support and expertise as the incoming team begin the very important work of building and addressing the challenges we are faced with. Together we can ensure that the hope and aspirations of our citizens are met with renewed commitment and clear vision of progress.”

On his part, the Chairman of Monday Okpebholo Transition Committee and former Deputy Governor of the State, Dr. Pius Odubu, urged for speedy provisions of requisite documents to enhance smooth transition as it was time bound.

He said, “When a government is outgoing and a new one is coming in, it is natural to have a body like this to interface and ensure seamless transition of power. This is not them versus us. We are one, saddled with the responsibility to serve our state in this regard to ensure we have a seamless transition.”