Former Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has launched a harsh criticism of his successor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, accusing him of orchestrating excuses to mask an impending “spectacular failure” just a few weeks into his tenure. In a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Crusoe Osagie, Obaseki described Okpebholo as “unprepared, visionless, and utterly clueless” about governance.
A Governor More Focused on Photo Ops Than Governance
Osagie lambasted Okpebholo’s early days in office, accusing him of engaging in nothing but shallow public relations stunts. According to Osagie, Okpebholo has spent his time hopping from one of Obaseki’s projects to another, posing for photos rather than crafting a meaningful agenda.
“He has resorted to commissioning trivial projects, including a boutique owned by a known thug, and pursuing laughable, ill-conceived ideas like an aircraft assembly project in Benin. These actions highlight his cluelessness and lack of direction,” Osagie said.
Driving Edo Into Financial Crisis
The criticism extended to the State’s finances, with Obaseki’s camp accusing Okpebholo of gross mismanagement. Osagie claimed that the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state is set to plummet from N8 billion to a mere N2 billion monthly due to “turf wars over revenue collection by thugs empowered during the last election.”
“There is already a palpable financial crisis in Edo State. Businesses are suffering, citizens are struggling to survive, and the governor appears completely out of his depth. His incompetence is dragging the State into economic paralysis,” Osagie charged.
Excuses and Lies to Hide Incompetence
The statement also accused Okpebholo of fabricating claims about non-existent debts to shift blame to his predecessor.
“He is setting up his fall guy, concocting lies against Obaseki to distract the public from his impending failure to meet obligations like paying salaries and pensions,” Osagie said.
He further asserted that the Obaseki administration left the state in a solid financial position, with a balance of approximately N30 billion in the state account. “Contrary to the baseless accusations, there were no outstanding debts,” Osagie added.
Flawed Election and an Illegitimate Governor
Osagie did not stop at governance failures, also questioning the legitimacy of Okpebholo’s victory in the September 21 governorship election. He labeled the election as “one of the most flawed and manipulated in Nigeria’s history,” emphasizing that the ongoing judicial challenge could yet unseat Okpebholo.
No Sympathy for Failure
The Obaseki camp made it clear that no excuses would be entertained for Okpebholo’s governance shortcomings.
“The people of Edo State will not accept excuses about IGR declines or inability to govern effectively. He must meet his obligations to workers, pensioners, and contractors,” Osagie declared.
The blistering attack leaves no room for ambiguity: Obaseki’s team is positioning itself as the voice of accountability while painting Okpebholo as a governor doomed to failure from the start.
