APC faults Edo govt on modality for transition

The All Progressives Congress (APC) transition committee in Edo State has criticized the state government’s approach to the exchange of documents required for a smooth transition process.

The 24-man APC committee noted that the outgoing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration, led by Governor Godwin Obaseki, had failed to provide the necessary documents to ensure a smooth transition, adding that this had hindered the work of the APC transition committee.

In a statement signed by Patrick Ikhariale, Secretary of the APC Transition Committee, the party described as false the government’s claims that all required documents had been provided.

The statement reads:

“The APC Transition Committee, led by His Excellency, Dr. Pius Odubu as Chairman, wishes to clarify some false claims and misinformation circulated by officials of the state government, overtly or covertly.

“It is on record that the inaugural meeting of the APC Transition Committee with the outgoing government’s team was held on Friday, 18th October 2024, at the JOOPSA Hall, GRA, Benin City.

“1. Despite the cordial atmosphere and robust engagement during the inaugural meeting, the Government Team attempted to scandalize the APC Transition Committee with outlandish claims that we were asking for sitting allowances and that our request for hard copies was because APC members were not tech-savvy. We find these claims vexatious, underwhelming, insulting, barbaric, and misleading. Nothing of the sort was discussed or raised during or after the meeting.

“2. At the meeting, the APC Transition Committee clearly stated that documents should be submitted in both soft and hard copies for ease of reference. This was agreed upon by both teams, and the Government Team assured us that the documents would be submitted before the next meeting on Monday, 21st October 2024.

“3. The APC Transition Committee officially wrote to the Government Team on 18th October, detailing what to provide. Despite assurances, the two sets of documents received so far are scanty and vague regarding the expected details. For clarity, the letter requested the following:

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a) All Assets and Liabilities
b) All Edo State assets located outside the state
c) Detailed reports of Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from 2020 to date
d) Detailed reports of the Derivation Fund to the state from 2020 to date
e) All maturing legal obligations from 2020 to date, including pending or ongoing contracts
f) Total indebtedness (local and foreign) from 2020 to date, including bonds and treasury bills
g) All approved contracts by the state government from 2020 to date
h) Size, number, and structure of all MDAs, including Human Resource data on public/civil servants and their roles, achievements, and gaps, if any
i) All annual financial audit reports, published and unpublished
j) A report on the 2024 appropriation and its performance to date, including the revised budget and current Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF)
k) All Public Private Partnerships (PPP) arrangements and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs)
l) All state-backed initiatives
m) All fiscal treasury instruments, such as treasury bills
n) All assets sold by the state between 2020 to date
o) Bank balances across all financial institutions
p) All programs being managed by non-state actors
q) Total monthly personnel costs (recurrent and others)
r) All federal refunds
s) Existing partnerships with development partners (credit, grants, and technical assistance)
t) Existing arrangements with any federal agency
u) All laws passed or amended between 2020 to date
v) Payroll structure and current wage bill, including consultant remuneration
w) A report on the current technology deployed by the state and nature of the partnerships.
Any other relevant information that will be useful to the incoming administration.

“4. We wish to emphasize that a comprehensive Status Report is expected to cover all these headings and subheadings, especially details of the financial commitments on various projects and programs. The incoming government, the people of Edo State, and taxpayers deserve to know the status of affairs. We are not a probe panel; requesting information and documents is not fishing for trouble but aligns with international best practices.

“5. We firmly believe that the Government Team is being evasive and trying to divert attention from the essence of the transition. A seamless transition requires transparency, and the government should provide the necessary documents without raising unnecessary objections to our good intentions.

“6. The attempt to blackmail the APC Transition Committee is in poor taste and unfortunate. The APC Transition Committee consists of professionals and individuals of high repute, led by former Edo State Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Dr. Pius Odubu. This work must be completed, and the sooner the Government Team cooperates for a seamless transition, the better for everyone involved.

“7. Despite setbacks and deliberate delays from the Government Team, the APC Transition Committee has been working diligently to complete its assignment in accordance with its terms of reference. We will not be swayed by blackmail, insults, ridicule, or attempts to mislead the public.

“8. We call on all well-meaning members of the public to disregard the lies and misinformation being spread by the outgoing government of Edo State.” The APC reiterated.