The All Progressives Congress, or APC, in Edo State has insisted that Governor Monday Okpebholo was duly elected by the majority of the state’s population and not selected as alleged, according to Prince Kassim Afegbua, a member of the Assets Verification Committee and the party’s transition committee.
Prince Kassim Afegbua made the comments in response to the Peoples Democratic Party labeling the State Governor as “Governor-Select” at a press briefing titled “The State of the Nation Address,” which was read by Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, the state party’s caretaker committee chairman.
At the press briefing, Aziegbemi said, “It is most unfortunate and disappointing that in just 14 days in office, the governor-select, Monday Okpebholo, through his actions and inactions, have succeeded in setting a dangerous tone for crisis and breach of public peace, and we are worried that this troubling precedent may just be an ignition for a conflagration that may well be avoided.
“In the same manner, thugs under the payroll of the Governor-Select Okpebholo as “government vehicle recovery agents” led by Kelly Okungbowa, a chieftain of the APC in the State, broke into the private residence of the immediate past Governor of the State HE Godwin Obaseki in Gestapo style, assaulting and harassing security personnel at the premises.
“Two weeks after their inauguration on November 12, the governor-select, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and his Deputy, Denis Idahosa, have failed to officially resign from their respective seats in the Senate and the House of Representatives, denying their constituencies of representation at the National Assembly in line with section 68(1)d of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“We are aware that the Governor-Select is dismantling all the levers of government and governance that he inherited and so we are not surprised that he considers the state’s procurement act a hindrance that must be dismantled.
“Governor-select Okpebholo has procured over N5 billion worth of vehicles without proper procurement process which has created a crisis to the extent that PS Governor’s office is threatening civil servants in Central administration for refusing to accept vehicles due to improper documentation.
“While his short-lived tenure lasts until the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP reclaims the mandate duly given to it by Edo voters, he remains the governor-select”, he said.
Reacting, Prince Afegbua, said the people of Edo State gave their mandate to the party’s candidate, Monday Okpebholo to govern the state for the next four years.
According to him, ”It is important to talk about all these things because they keep talking about Governor-select, Edo people in their thousands elected on September 21, 2024.”
“It was a popular election and we were able to beat the traps they set for rigging the election so it is understandable that they will cry wolf where there is none.”
“The election was not about the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC but was about Edo people making a resolve that it was good to do good riddance to bad rubbish and that was what happened on September 21, 2024.”
They are already in the tribunal, and while we don’t want to bother you by bringing up the difficulties there, the reality needs to be proven.
“The APC won convincingly even in the reports written by the chairman of PDP they conceded victory to APC and if they challenge us we will provide evidence.”
“We will not be distracted by the needless opposition party statements that will not add value to the governance process of Edo State.”
