The Edo State Government has tasked the Governor-elect, Senator Monday Okpebholo and his aides to focus on organising their alleged exhorbitant N5 billion inauguration ceremony and leave Governor Godwin Obaseki out of their ‘petty politics.’
Special Adviser to Governor Obaseki on Media, Crusoe Osagie, in a statement said it was regrettable that the incoming government was starting on the sorry note of lavishing the state’s resources on the November 12 inauguration instead of thinking of how to hit the ground running.
According to Osagie, “It is quite telling that we are back to the era where unconscionable spending sprees, jamborees and parties are the preoccupation of government in Edo State.
“It is unheard of that the governor was not invited to the inauguration ceremony, which reveals the level of pettiness that would prevail in this new dispensation.
“The incoming government has made commitments to the vendors to the tune of N5 billion in official capacity with many more expenses expected to be incurred on November 12, the day of the inauguration.
“It would indeed be a very sad day for Edo people who have hitherto witnessed prudent and judicious use of public funds to drive economic development in the State, to have their resources frittered in this manner.”
The special adviser alleged that the incoming government was throwing tantrums about the professional manner which the outgoing government embraced against the old practice which witnessed wanton vandalisation of government property and assets.
“We have maintained decorum in the handing over process and the incoming government is having none of it because they also intended to stage a hiest of government assets with the intention to point fingers at the outgoing government.
“Today, they’ve been disappointed and they’re now seeking out Obaseki for blames. We are not surprised. In fact, we would only have been perplexed if they didn’t go this route in attempting to malign the government,” Osagie added.