FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY
Edo State governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo said yesterday that his administration will set up a Commission of Inquiry to look into former Governor Godwin Obaseki’s records.
The governor disclosed this while speaking to party leaders, youths, market women, civil servants, professional bodies and groups during a victory parade held at the Government House, Benin City.
Addressing the crowd, Okpebholo thanked God for his victory at the Supreme Court. He said it is time to work and promised that in the next two years, Edo people will know that they have a governor.
He noted that the Obaseki-led administration used consultants to run the affairs while he looted the treasury dry.
The governor revealed that his administration, while opening the books of EdoGIS, discovered that a consultant was hired and paid N6 billion and another additional N2 billion for “ordinary software.”
He noted that his administration has developed its own software and has sent the consultant packing.
“I directed training of our own people who are now handling the job. We have sent the consultant away from the State, saving money to develop Edo State.
“Our civil servants are well trained. We have the best brains in the State, but Godwin Obaseki used consultants instead of utilizing the human resources in the State. We are saving money today as a government because we are using the civil servants to do the jobs consultants were formerly doing.
He stated that we are just about eight months in office, but by the time we are two years in office, Edo people will know they have a governor who is ready to work for their interest.
He stated that his administration would open the books to check the dealings of the previous administration, led by Obaseki.
“I will open the books to check the financial dealings and how Obaseki governed Edo State in the last eight years. A university received N47 million under Obaseki’s administration, while he paid consultants N51 million. This was not good enough. They wanted to continue with this act, but God helped us to push them out.
“Since I came into office, I have not sacked anybody, but rather continued with the civil servants I met in the office. The Head of Service during Obaseki’s administration is still working with me. So also with a lot of permanent secretaries,” he noted.
He said his administration will set up a Commission of Inquiry and the books of the previous administration will be opened and officials of that administration will be interrogated on how they governed Edo people in the last eight years.
“Edo was tired of transactional people and thieves, but now we will look into their records. I will take two years out of eight years, and Edo people will see the difference. We will set up a Commission of Inquiry to look into the books and dealings of the previous administration. We will open interrogation to check their records.
According to him, “They have finished fighting us, and now I am ready to fight back and ensure that all those that cheated Edo people in the last eight years are all brought to book,” he said.
Governor Okpebholo told supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, that Asue Ighodalo and his party kept money for the election, as well as for court cases.
“They were looking for judges to bribe or buy, but they could not find any. They kept money for election as well as court cases, but God disappointed them. The people voted for me as their Governor, and the various courts affirmed the mandate. The Supreme Court judgment is the final as the five judges ruled in my favour.”
The Deputy Governor, Dannis Idahosa, who was also excited at the Supreme Court ruling, commended the governor for helping the party win the various stages of court cases, stating that it is now time to be focused and work for Edo people.
