The outgoing Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is borrowing between N2 billion and N5 billion to fund the inauguration of the incoming governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo.
Obaseki made these claims during the inauguration of a 10-member caretaker committee for the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benin City on Friday. He also expressed frustration that his administration had not been consulted nor invited to the upcoming inauguration.
Senator Okpebholo, who won the September 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo State, will officially take office on Tuesday, November 12, 2024. Obaseki accused the incoming government of prematurely spending nearly N27 billion allocated for ongoing projects and other financial obligations that his administration had set aside. He suggested that this expenditure was part of an effort to manipulate public perception during the transition period, stating, “They are going to spend as much money as possible to confuse the people.”
Obaseki further claimed that the APC government had already begun borrowing funds for the inauguration, which he estimated would cost between N2 billion and N5 billion. He expressed concerns that this money was being diverted from the state’s treasury, leaving little room for the payment of critical project debts. The governor added, “It’s as though they are starting a brand-new government and a brand-new state, and the current governor has not even been invited to the inauguration.”
While discussing the political landscape, Obaseki reassured his party’s supporters that he would remain loyal to the PDP and continue to provide guidance and advice. He vowed to ensure the party would reclaim what he referred to as its “stolen mandate.” He stressed that the battle was not only for the PDP’s candidate but for the preservation of democracy in Nigeria, declaring, “If we allow the APC to take our stolen mandate, it will mark the end of democracy in Nigeria.”
Asue Ighodalo, the PDP’s candidate in the September 2024 election, echoed Obaseki’s sentiments and urged party members to prepare for a tough legal battle to reclaim the governorship. He revealed that the party’s legal team was ready to respond to the APC’s petition, which was expected to be filed next week. He emphasized that this process would involve a series of hearings, with the pre-hearing set to begin by mid-November 2024. “We are in difficult times, but we must stand firm and remain strong as we work to recover our stolen mandate,” Ighodalo stated.
Meanwhile, the APC has made serious allegations against Obaseki’s administration, accusing it of financial mismanagement. The APC claimed that out of N24.6 billion recently deposited into the state’s government account, a substantial N14 billion was allegedly siphoned by the outgoing government within the span of a week. The party also criticized Obaseki for pushing through three supplementary budgets since January 2024 without proper fiscal oversight. One of the most controversial of these was a N450 billion allocation approved just before the September election.
The APC’s statement raised concerns over the rapid succession of supplementary budgets and questioned the true purpose behind such large-scale financial allocations. It accused the outgoing governor of mismanaging nearly N2 trillion during his tenure, an amount that the party believes warrants a full investigation. The APC concluded by asserting that the people of Edo State deserved to know how these funds had been spent and why the state’s resources appeared to be squandered before Obaseki’s departure from office.
These allegations have further intensified the political tension in Edo State, as both parties prepare for a drawn-out legal and political fight over the governorship results and the handling of state resources.
