Kehinde Fajobi
Crusoe Osagie, media aide to former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, has criticised the ongoing probes into Obaseki’s administration by the current government led by Governor Monday Okpebholo.
Osagie accused the Okpebholo administration of using what he described as “cheap political theatrics” to distract from its lack of vision and incompetence.
His reaction followed the announcement of a 14-member State Assets Verification Committee set up to investigate Obaseki’s tenure.
The committee, chaired by Dr Ernest Umakhihe, is scheduled for inauguration on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, at the Government House in Benin City.
In a statement released on Sunday, Osagie said, “Our attention has been drawn to a laughable and utterly ridiculous statement by the Monday Okpebholo administration setting up a 14-member State Assets Verification Committee to probe the administration of his predecessor, His Excellency, Godwin Obaseki, who is globally acclaimed to have run one of the most transparent, accountable and prudent governments in the history of Nigeria.”
He criticised the probes as part of a “barrage of meaningless investigations,” including those into civil servants’ employment, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), and government assets.
According to him, these actions highlight the administration’s lack of clear development plans for the state.
“From probing civil servants’ employment to probing Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), and probing vehicles and other assets of government, among others, the governor-select has continued to show that he is bereft of ideas and lacks a clear vision for the development of the state and has therefore resorted to these charades of empty probes to buy time and distract from his incompetence and unpreparedness for office,” Osagie added.
He described the probes as diversionary tactics meant to deceive Edo residents, comparing them to gladiator spectacles in Ancient Rome.
Osagie warned that Edo citizens would not fall for such distractions.
“His plan is to treat Edo people like an undiscerning mob that you can distract with a show like the duel of gladiators in the Ancient Roman Colosseum.
“But Okpebholo will soon learn that he is the governor with the hardest job in Nigeria because the Edo people of Edo State are wise and can hardly be fooled,” he said.
Osagie accused Okpebholo of being a pawn for political godfathers seeking revenge after being denied access to state resources under Obaseki’s administration.
He also asserted that the former governor had achieved unprecedented transparency and fiscal discipline, which enabled significant milestones across various sectors.
The statement further claimed that Okpebholo came into office “through a stolen mandate” and vowed that the Edo chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party would reclaim “its mandate duly given to it by Edo voters.”