Kehinde Fajobi
Less than 48 hours before his inauguration, Edo State Governor-elect Senator Monday Okpebholo accused outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki of fleeing Benin City and abandoning governance.
In a statement released on Sunday by his media aide, Godspower Inegbe, Okpebholo alleged that Obaseki left the Government House in an unmarked bus last Friday.
“As of Friday, 8th November, the whereabouts of Obaseki is unknown. He has chased everyone out of Edo State Government House,” the statement read.
“He has abandoned governance in the state, and he is on the run. If he is as popular as he claims, why did he not use the airport to leave? Instead, he hired a bus and disguised while escaping from Edo State.”
The governor-elect’s camp dismissed Obaseki’s claim that he had not been invited to the Tuesday inauguration.
Okpebholo countered by alleging that since his election, Obaseki has consistently tried to hinder a peaceful power transfer, pointing out that Obaseki has neither invited him to the Government House nor congratulated him on his victory.
“Since Senator Okpebholo was declared winner, Obaseki has employed every means to frustrate a peaceful transfer of power,” the statement continued.
“Has Obaseki called Senator Okpebholo to congratulate him since he won the election?”
Responding to Obaseki’s claims of a “stolen mandate,” Okpebholo asserted his win was legitimate and said the tribunal would soon confirm it.
“Obaseki will not get away with this misrepresentation. Senator Monday Okpebholo, the Governor-elect of Edo State, won the 21st September governorship election in Edo State,” he stated.
He added that the public had “rejected the planned continuation of Obaseki’s administration.”
Okpebholo further accused Obaseki of attempting to sway the outcome of the election tribunal by making false claims.
“Unfortunately for Obaseki, his baseless claims will not stand. The Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate, Ighodalo, have no case against Senator Okpebholo.”
Warning of possible legal action after Obaseki’s immunity ends, Okpebholo stated, “Although Senator Okpebholo is a man of peace, we will not sit back and allow him [Obaseki] to keep misrepresenting the true outcome of what happened on the 21st of September.”
Okpebholo urged Edo residents to ignore Obaseki’s remarks and support his incoming administration in restoring order to the state.