Time up for Gov. Obaseki’s continued anti people actions, lies – APC Edo

By Kingsley Abavo, Benin

It is time up for the continued anti people actions; and lies of the Governor Godwin Obaseki’s led People Democratic Party’s administration in Edo State.

As the Governor has elevated falsehood to one of his Government policies, evidently when confronted to explain details of the over N17b received as arrears of the 13 percent derivation fund; the main opposition Party, All Progressives Congress (APC), has pointed out.

The Party on Thursday (20 December, 2022) made the declaration in a press statement signed by the State Chairman, Col. David Imuse retd, and availed the media in Benin, the State Capital.

“In Edo State, we are all witnesses to the very dangerous variant of the PDP in a toxic Government led by Mr. Godwin Obaseki; whose official policy of desecration, destruction and demolition has inflicted on us pain and anguish.

“In some States, flyovers have been constructed, new hospitals have been built, while in our State; the Governor is short of words to explain himself.

“Today, Edo people want Obaseki to account for the loans running into billions of Naira which he has used to mortgage the future of our State from the World Bank, EU and other sources such as:

• N25b and N18b from CBN in 2020 and 2021.

• N25b from the Capital Market

• N20b (N10b in two tranches) Federal Government bail out fund

• $75m third tranch from the World Bank Loan.

• N10b refund from the Federal Government of Nigeria for Federal roads constructed by his predecessor

“This is aside from the •Federal Government Support Facility; •Excess Crude Account (ECA); Secured Term Loan; and •Central Bank of Nigeria Development Fund (ECA2).”

The APC also tackles the Obaseki’s administration for the recurring various market fire incidents in the State; condemning him for his nonchalant attitude and failure to keep promises of rehabilitating the traders who are victims.

But rather than acting like a responsible Government, it went out for a scapegoat to blame for its inadequacies, the Party stated.

Instead, the Government should be blame for the many fire incidents across Benin markets, since the coming of the Obaseki’s administration, it held.

“It is ironic that after traders suffered loses in millions of Naira to the inferno which destroyed their investment in 2020, the Governor promised to compensate them with N100m. Till date, no single trader has received one Naira.

“The Governor did set up panels of inquiry to unravel the causes of the fires, with deadlines to submit reports;

“He promised to rebuild the burnt sections of the markets, employ more fire fighters, and buy more fire trucks for the ailing Fire Service; but none of the panels saw the light of day.

“Instead, the Governor donated a very large section of the Ekiosa market to his friends and cronies to build and operate ‘Jara Super Market’ at the expense of the traders who suffered huge loses.

“A short sighted Governor who replace the children hospital for a Supermarket and demolished the State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources complex and headquarters of the Edo Library where children of the masses access free books for another Supermarket, will do worse.

“We have it on good record that the latest Lagos Street fire incident is just one of the many plans of the Obaseki’s administration to build a new Supermarket on the location.

“As a Party, we reject this evil plan because it is designed to forcefully take over Edo public market spaces intended for the masses and replace them with Obaseki’s Supermarkets which cater for only the high and mighty; and are bound to fizzle out with time.

“The pattern of the fire incidents and Obaseki’s nonchalance over the years, speaks volumes.”

The APC consequently called on all eligible voters who have not gone to collect their Personal Voters’ Cards (PVC) to do so and cautioned against selling them to the ruling Party.