Edo APC Alleges State Committee Not Ready to Provide Transition Documents

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC) Transition Committee, has debunked allegations by the Joint Transition Committee that it is evading meeting after requesting for the provision of both hard and smooth copies of documents from the state government.

Secretary of the APC Transition Committee, Mr. Patrick Ikhariale, made the clarification in a statement in Benin City, on Thursday, saying the outgoing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki in Edo State has not presented the necessary documents that will enable a smooth transition process, a situation, he said has hindered the work of the APC Transition Committee.

On Wednesday, the Joint Transition Committee showed journalists, copies of documents it prepared as requested by the APC members who were absent.
However, Ikhariale in the statement yesterday, said it is on record that the inaugural meeting of the APC Transition Committee with the outgoing government’s team held on Friday, 18th October 2024 at the John Odigie Oyegu  Public Service Academy (JOOPSA) Hall, GRA, Benin City, it made request for copies from the Joint Transition Committee.

According to him, “Despite the very cordial atmosphere of mutuality and robust engagement that characterize  the inaugural meeting, information from Government Team tried to scandalise the APC Transition Committee, with outlandish claims that we were asking for sitting allowances and that our request for hard copies was because members of the APC Committee were not tech-savvy. We find these false claims vexatious, underwhelming, insulting, barbaric, and completely misleading. Nothing of such was discussed or raised during and after our plenary.

“At the meeting, the APC Transition Committee stated unequivocally that documents to be submitted should be in soft and hard copies for ease of reference. This position was agreed upon by both teams and the government Team gave assurances that those documents would be submitted to the APC Transition Committee before the following meeting scheduled for Monday, 21st October 2024.

“The APC Transition Committee wrote officially, on the 18th of October to the Government Team detailing what to provide. Despite assurances from the Government Team, the two sets of documents sent so far are scanty and vague in respect of the expected details covering the scope of the information sought.”

Ikhariale further said: “We wish to state without any fear of contradiction that the Government Team seems to be evasive and trying strenuously to shift the focus from the essence of the transition. We are of the considered opinion that in line with the seamless transition initiative, the government should be open and transparent enough to avail us the documents required to make our assignment easier without raising airs about our good intention.

“The idea of trying to blackmail the APC Transition Committee is in bad taste and most unfortunate. The APC Transition Committee is peopled by professionals and persons of high repute under the leadership of former Edo State Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Dr. Pius Odubu. This job must be done, and the earlier the Government Team does the needful towards a seamless transition, the better it will be for all concerned.

“Despite the setbacks and deliberate slow response from the Government Team, the APC Transition Committee has been working assiduously to complete her assignment in line with its terms of reference. We will not bow to blackmail, insults, ridicule, name-calling, and deliberate ploy to mislead the public.

“We wish to use this opportunity to call on all well-meaning members of the Public to disregard the tissues of lies and misinformation by the outgoing Government of Edo State.”