Outgoing Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki was recently spotted in Lagos, dispelling claims from governor-elect Senator Monday Okpebholo that Obaseki had fled the country. Sources confirmed that Obaseki was in Lagos on Sunday evening.
Obaseki has been the Governor of Edo State since 2016, initially elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC) before switching to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Earlier, Senator Okpebholo had accused Obaseki of fleeing Nigeria via land borders. With Okpebholo set to be sworn in as governor on Tuesday, Obaseki will lose his immunity from prosecution.
Last week, Obaseki had mentioned receiving information about a possible arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) once his tenure concluded.
In a statement released on Sunday, signed by his media aide, Godspower Inegbe, Okpebholo claimed that Obaseki’s whereabouts were unknown. The statement alleged that Obaseki vacated the Government House on Friday, leaving for an undisclosed location days before his official departure.
“As of Friday, November 8th, the whereabouts of Obaseki are unknown. He chased everyone out of the Edo State Government House, abandoned governance, and is on the run. He escaped through the land border, not via the airport. If he is as popular as he claims, why didn’t he use the airport? Instead, he hired a bus and disguised himself while fleeing Edo State,” the statement read.
Despite these allegations, reports confirm that Obaseki was in Lagos on Sunday evening.
“Obaseki did not flee the country; it’s a lie. He is in Lagos right now as I speak. There is no truth to the claims made by the governor-elect,” a source told SaharaReporters.