By Peter.
Former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has sharply criticized his successor, Governor Monday Okpebholo, for claiming that his administration left a staggering N600 billion debt.
During a media briefing to commemorate Okpebholo’s first year in office, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, alleged that over N178 billion was owed to road contractors alone. He also said that Obaseki told contractors to take out loans and keep working without paying them back. In response, Obaseki’s media aide, Crusoe Osagie, rejected the claims in a video conference with journalists. He admonished Nigerians against making such unsubstantiated allegations, which could lead to mistrust from abroad and even threats of intervention. Osagie stated: “These reckless statements pose a serious danger. Existential threats already exist in Nigeria.
Our government has been branded irresponsible, shameful, and disgraceful by a foreign leader. The negative perception of our leadership on a global scale is reinforced whenever similar rhetoric is used in a state controlled by the APC, such as Edo. “All debts—whether local, state, or federal—must be approved and recorded by the Debt Management Office (DMO) in Abuja. There would be evidence of Governor Obaseki’s liabilities of N600 billion. Can the DMO confirm this figure with the current administration? “Faking such assertions gives the impression that Edo is run by amateurs and damages the presidency as well as the image of the country.
It reinforces the global perception that Nigeria lacks competent governance.”
Osagie also clarified the controversy surrounding the Radisson Hotel, emphasizing that full details of the business arrangement were transparently included in the handover report. “Every aspect of the Radisson partnership was properly documented, with all details clearly outlined in the transition report,” he said.
