Former Governor Godwin Obaseki has been challenged by the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is promising him a reward of N50 million if he can freely walk the streets of Benin City and be welcomed by the locals.
APC leader and Edo State Assets Verification Committee member Kassim Afegbua made the announcement at a press conference held at Benin City’s Government House after Governor Monday Okpebholo swore in the committee.
“If the opposition is truly serious, they should please invite ex-Governor Godwin Obaseki to Edo for a street walk. We are ready to pay him N50 million for that particular exercise and let us see who the Edo people will embrace,” Afegbua declared.
Afegbua also disregard allegations levelled against the new administration by the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The PDP had accused the APC-led government of shutting down the e-governance platform formed during Obaseki’s tenure.
He described the e-governance platform as “e-corruption,” accusing the former administration of opacity in its operations.
“We tried to access the so-called e-governance platform, but we couldn’t even access basic information,” he alleged.
Addressing claims that APC thugs had invaded the PDP secretariat, Afegbua labelled the accusation as baseless, adding that the new government is focused on rebuilding the state and has no interest in such distractions.
“We are too preoccupied and busy picking up Edo State from the ashes of underdevelopment that the previous government plunged it into,” he said.
In order to assess the condition of the state’s assets and maintain transparency, Afegbua further justified the state government’s choice to establish an Asset Verification Committee.
The APC insisted that the people of Edo State have already responded favorably to the actions it has tak
en since coming to power.
