By Mick Oseji, South South Bureau
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, and his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki, have traded words over the alleged diversion of N8bn from the state coffers two weeks before the end of Obaseki’s tenure.
Okpebholo fired the first shot in an interview with an online television platform, where he alleged that Obaseki removed N8bn from N20bn released to Edo State shortly before he assumed office.
He said it was the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission who helped save the remaining N12bn.
“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 said.
The governor also accused Obaseki of leaving huge debts, including unpaid salaries.
“There were lots of debts. Obaseki didn’t pay salaries for over a year in Ambrose Alli University. We are paying it,” he said.
“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.
Obaseki fired back on Sunday through a statement issued by his media aide, Crusoe Osagie, accusing Okpebholo of telling several barefaced lies against leading political figures and making several unsubstantiated allegations against them.
Obaseki said Okpebholo had no tangible development records to show Nigerians for his 24 months in office, despite collecting trillions of naira.
“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,” the statement said.
“We state, without equivocation, that the Obaseki administration neither diverted any funds nor left any outstanding emolument debts, as he claimed in his interview,” it added.
“As they say, talk is cheap. Anyone can make baseless claims, particularly when shielded from prosecution by the constitutional immunity enjoyed by governors.”
On the Museum of West African Art, Obaseki said there was no other story to be left for “another day” 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.
“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.
