PDP defends Obaseki’s absence in Edo

…urges Okpebholo to concentrate on governance

The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed rumours that the immediate past governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki, is on the run, explaining his absence from the state.

Addressing a press conference at the PDP Edo State Secretariat in Benin City on Tuesday, where the new Publicity Secretary of the party, Dan Osa-Ogbegie, was presented to the media, the former Commissioner for Communication and Orientation under the Obaseki administration, Mr Chris Osa Nehikhare, said the former governor had no reason to flee the state.

Nehikhare, who also served as the PDP Publicity Secretary in Edo State after the end of Governor Obaseki’s tenure, hinted that the former governor “is on a fellowship programme at a university in the UK.”

Besides the academic engagement, Nehikhare added that Obaseki decided to stay away from Edo State at the end of his tenure because his presence would make the present administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo “very uncomfortable.”

He added that Obaseki also decided to give the Okpebholo-led administration space to operate and prove its worth, emphasising that the former governor “remains a free man and anybody that wants him, be it the EFCC, DSS or whatever, can write to him.”

Having completed his two terms and served Edo State meritoriously, Nehikhare said that Obaseki, unlike his predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, had no intention to contest any senatorial election.

Nehikhare added that it was laughable for the Okpebholo administration to accuse Governor Obaseki of not doing anything for eight years, saying the way the present administration “is carrying on is as if the Okpebholo government is in the opposition and the PDP is in government.”

Nehikhare said that the same Okpebholo administration that claimed Obaseki did not do anything “just yesterday appointed a new general manager for the Observer Newspapers it claims does not exist. The same Okpebholo government directed all the departments in the Ministry of Education, including the commissioner, to move to the Education Hub at Itakpe built by the same Obaseki.”

According to him, Obaseki constructed 1,300 kilometres of road across the state and built institutions across the state.

“Obaseki is not on the run from anywhere. He is on a fellowship at a university in the United Kingdom. In any case, his presence in Edo would make the present governor very uncomfortable.

“Obaseki is not going to contest any election in Edo State. He has spent his eight years, unlike other governors who contested for the Senate. Obaseki has served the 18 local government areas for eight years.

“He is a free man. Whosoever wants him, either EFCC or DSS, should write to him. Governor Obaseki has served his term; Okpebholo should do his own.

“Obaseki is staying away because we want this government to have its space. The problem they have with Obaseki is what we call Obaseki Derailment Syndrome (ODS). This is why it is convenient for them to say Obaseki did not do anything.

“The Okpebholo government is acting as if it is in the opposition while the PDP is in government. PDP would have been happy to have a weak government, but because that would demean the people of Edo State, the APC keeps going back to the past. Those facilities Obaseki built are still there.”

In his remarks, the new PDP Publicity Secretary in the state, Dan Osa-Ogbegie, said the flyover being constructed by Governor Okpebholo would not have any economic impact on the people of the state.

He added that constructing flyovers while inner roads are in a parlous state “amounts to renovating the bedroom while the sitting room is in shambles. When a visitor comes into a house, the first place he will see is the sitting room.”

Osa-Ogbegie lamented that the state was in a dangerous season of governance by propaganda and incompetence under the APC.

“The Okpebholo-led administration lacks direction. The government has stalled governance, and erased progress made by the Obaseki-led administration in land administration and reforms, civil service reforms, urban renewal projects and the drive to open Edo State to more private investors to spur economic growth and progress.”

He assured that the Edo PDP would play the role of opposition with decorum, saying: “As opposition party, we will criticise where criticism is due. We will be objective, critical and hold the government to account at all times.”

The Edo PDP Publicity Secretary advised Governor Okpebholo to focus on real governance and stop disparaging his predecessor, adding that rather than propaganda, “the Okpebholo administration should look at what it met on the ground like the Obaseki security architecture, educational infrastructure, especially the EdoBest programme that was acclaimed worldwide.

“Governance should not be reduced to the gutters because you hate someone. What the present government is doing is to pay political hatchet men while infrastructures suffer,” he lamented.

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