Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has announced plan to investigate the financial dealings of his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki.
The governor disclosed this on Friday while addressing a crowd of party leaders, market women, civil servants, professional bodies, and youths at the Government House in Benin City.
The event followed his return from Abuja after the Supreme Court upheld his victory in the September 21, 2024, governorship election.
Okpebholo accused the Obaseki’s administration of mismanaging state funds through the excessive use of consultants, alleging that the state’s treasury was looted.
The governor Okpebholo disclosed that his administration, while opening the books of EdoGIS, discovered that a consultant was hired and paid N6bn and another additional N2bn for “ordinary software.”
He noted that his administration had developed its own software and had sacked the said consultant.
Okpebholo said, “I directed the training of our own people who are now handling the job. We have sent the consultant away from the state, saving money to develop Edo State.
“Our civil servants are well trained. We have the best brains in the State, but Godwin Obaseki used consultants instead of utilizing the human resources in the State. We are saving money today as a government because we are using the civil servants to do the jobs consultants were formerly doing.
“I will open the books to check the financial dealings and how Obaseki governed Edo State in the last eight years.
“They have finished fighting us, and now I am ready to fight back and ensure that all those that cheated Edo people in the last eight years are all brought to book.”
Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa, applauded Okpebholo for leading the party through its legal battles, stated that it was time to focus on delivering good governance to the people of Edo State.
Meanwhile, Okpebholo’s supporters who had gathered to celebrate his Supreme Court victory, were denied entry into the Edo State Government House.
The supporters, including market women and members of the All Progressives Congress, had assembled at the Benin Airport as early as 7:00 am to welcome the governor, following the affirmation of his election by the Supreme Court in Abuja on Thursday.
Okpebholo, who arrived at the airport at about 12:40 pm, was greeted with jubilation.
A road procession ensued, with the supporters chanting solidarity songs alongside the governor’s motorcade.
However, on arrival, the supporters were denied entry. Security operatives informed them that only Very Important Personalities would be allowed into the government house for the reception.
One of the supporters, Mrs. Ebosele Omogiate, said, “In the worst moments of ex-governor Godwin Obaseki, supporters and members were not shabbily treated like this. They have won now and have decided to build a wall around themselves.”
Another supporter added, “I left my house before 7 a.m. for the airport and stood under the sun for hours before the arrival of the governor. We engaged on a road show with him to the Government House, only for us to be shut out. This treatment melted on us is unfair.”
