Kehinde Fajobi
Edo Governor-Elect Senator Monday Okpebholo has dismissed claims that he plans to secure a $45 million loan from China, calling the reports baseless and urging Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration to focus on a smooth transition.
In a statement released by Okpebholo’s media aide, Godspower Inegbe, on Sunday, the Governor-Elect criticised Obaseki’s team for allegedly spreading “unfounded rumours.”
According to Inegbe, Okpebholo’s recent visit to the Chinese Ambassador in Abuja had no connection with loan discussions, contrary to claims circulating online.
“We wish to draw the attention of the general public to the mischievous publication, which is speculating that the winner of the 21st November governorship election in Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, was in talks with a Chinese agency to obtain a loan of $45.21 million to execute the construction of three flyovers in Benin City,” the statement read.
Okpebholo clarified that the photograph taken at the Chinese Ambassador’s office was used misleadingly, and he stressed that as Governor-Elect, he lacks the authority to negotiate loans on behalf of the state.
“The Governor-elect was not on a mission to sign any Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the China-Exim Bank for a loan as dubiously claimed in the said publication,” the statement continued.
“Understandably, as Governor-Elect, Senator Okpebholo is not in any official capacity to obtain any loan on behalf of the state. Rather, he is working on how to offset the numerous loans obtained by the outgoing administration without any correlating development,” the statement added.
Okpebholo also criticised the current administration for its reliance on Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) without tangible results.
“The Governor-elect, being a realist, will not build his administration on MoUs, and neither will he become another ‘MoU Governor’ of Edo State,” he remarked, adding that the outgoing administration’s supporters should focus on “the transition process, which they are working tirelessly to truncate.”
“The Governor-elect will not be a looter of public funds as Governor of Edo State. Rather, he will judiciously manage the resources that belong to Edo people to develop Edo State,” he said.
The statement concluded by urging those responsible for the “false rumours” to “apologise to the good people of the state,” adding, “We expect them to confess their sins and seek forgiveness from the people of Edo State, whom they have traumatised financially, mentally, and otherwise in the past 7 years.”