Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has restated his plan to probe the administration of his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki.
DAILY POST reports that Obaseki was the governor of the state from 2016 to 2024 until his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was ousted by the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Incumbent Governor Okpebholo said he would set up a Commission of Inquiry to look into Obaseki’s records.
He made this known while speaking to party leaders, youths, market women, civil servants, professional bodies and groups during a victory parade held on Friday in Government House, Benin City, Edo State.
“I will open the books to check the financial dealings and how Obaseki governed Edo State in the last eight years. A university in this State received N47 million under Obaseki’s administration, while he paid a consultant N51 million. This was not good enough. They wanted to continue with this act, but God helped us to push them out.
“Since I came into the office, I have not sacked anybody but rather continued with the civil servants I met in the office. The Head of Service during Obaseki’s administration is still working with me. So also with a lot of Permanent Secretaries in the civil service,” Okpebholo stated.
According to him, officials who served in Obaseki’s government would also be interrogated on how they governed the Edo people in the last eight years.
The governor particularly said that the PDP candidate in the last governorship election, Asue Ighodalo and his party kept money for the election as well as for court cases.
Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa, who was also excited at the Supreme Court ruling, commended the governor for helping the party win the various stages of court cases, stating that it is now time to be focused and work for the Edo people.
A former deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, thanked God for Okpebholo’s victory, adding that it is the time to work as Edo people will be grateful for voting for Senator Monday Okpebholo as their governor.
