Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, and his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki, have exchanged accusations over the alleged diversion of N8bn from the state’s funds shortly before the end of the previous administration.
Okpebholo, during an interview with an online television platform, alleged that N8bn was taken from the N20bn released to Edo State about two weeks before he assumed office.
The governor credited the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission with helping to preserve the remaining N12bn, claiming that the money would otherwise have been lost.
He said, “Two weeks before my swearing-in, N20bn was released to Edo State. Within one week, they removed N8bn. If not for the EFCC, I would not have saved N12bn.”
Okpebholo also accused the Obaseki administration of leaving behind substantial financial liabilities, including unpaid workers’ salaries.
He said his government had been addressing the outstanding payments, particularly those involving Ambrose Alli University and the Ekiadolor community.
“There were lots of debts. Obaseki didn’t pay salaries for over a year in Ambrose Alli University. We are paying it.
“In Ekiadolor, I have paid over N3bn out of N5.8bn. MOWAA is a story for another day. When you hear the story for MOWAA, you will cry for Nigeria,” he added.
However, Obaseki, through his media aide, Crusoe Osagie, dismissed the allegations in a statement issued on Sunday, accusing Okpebholo of making unsubstantiated claims against prominent political figures.
The former governor maintained that his administration neither diverted public funds nor left unpaid salary obligations, while questioning Okpebholo’s performance since taking office.
“We wish to note that it is totally disingenuous and mischievous to attempt to deflect public attention from his deplorable performance as governor by telling unconscionable lies about Obaseki and others whom he knows enjoy the goodwill of the people.
“We state, without equivocation, that the Obaseki administration neither diverted any funds nor left any outstanding emolument debts, as he claimed in his interview.
“As they say, talk is cheap. Anyone can make baseless claims, particularly when shielded from prosecution by the constitutional immunity enjoyed by governors.
“As for the Museum of West African Art, apart from the senseless closure of a world-class institution that placed not only Edo State but Nigeria as a whole enviably on the global art and culture map, there is no other story about the project to be left for ‘another day.”
“Instead of relying on trickery to deflect public attention from the clear underperformance of his administration so far, we encourage Okpebholo to begin making an honest effort to deliver tangible dividends of democracy to the people of Edo State during the less than two years remaining in his administration,” the statement added.
