The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has explained why outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki was not invited to the inauguration ceremony of the incoming governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo.
The APC transition committee said it excluded Obaseki due to alleged plans by the outgoing administration to disrupt the ceremony.
Senator Okpebholo emerged as Edo’s new governor-elect after defeating Asue Ighodalo of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and other candidates in the September 2024 governorship election.
The APC transition committee, represented by Prince Kassim Afegbua, issued a statement accusing Obaseki of attempting to obstruct a smooth transition.
In a statement titled “Obaseki and his lamentations,” Afegbua claimed Obaseki had been more focused on creating obstacles than preparing for a successful handover.
“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,” Afegbua said.
Obaseki recently expressed frustration about not receiving an invitation to the inauguration.
While inaugurating the 10-man caretaker committee of the PDP’s Edo chapter, Obaseki remarked that he had been excluded from the ceremony despite being the outgoing governor.
He further alleged that the incoming administration had borrowed billions to finance the event.
“We have almost N27 billion to pay for projects and obligations, but they have started blowing it,” Obaseki claimed. “They are going to struggle to change their perception.”
Obaseki accused the incoming team of wasting resources on the inauguration, which he claimed would cost between N2 billion and N5 billion.
“It is like they are starting a brand new government and a brand new state,” he added.
The APC committee dismissed Obaseki’s comments, labeling them as “generously laughable” and “self-indicting.”
“Suddenly, Godwin Obaseki realizes the ephemerality of power and now resorts to lamentations about an ongoing inauguration without extending an invitation to him,” the statement read.
The APC accused Obaseki of attempting to overwhelm the incoming administration with unnecessary decisions before his term ends.
The statement also alleged that the state government had demanded an inauguration budget, which the APC team declined to submit.
Afegbua explained that when they informed Okpebholo about the state’s budget request, he opted to fund the inauguration with his personal resources.
He noted that the governor-elect aimed to keep the ceremony modest, mindful of Edo’s economic challenges.
“He doesn’t believe in an ostentatious display of resources when a lot of Edo people have been impoverished by Governor Obaseki,” Afegbua said. “He’s of the view that the inauguration shouldn’t be an elaborate event.”
Afegbua also denied Obaseki’s allegations of borrowing for the inauguration, stating, “We have not borrowed a kobo from anywhere.”
In a separate allegation, Afegbua claimed that government vehicles had been taken away by officials from Obaseki’s administration, leaving only one functional vehicle in the Government House.
“Why should we borrow money because of the inauguration?” he asked. “There is only one functional vehicle in Edo state Government House. Every vehicle has been carted away.”
