Edo leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Thursday vowed to remove Governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki from office.
It also refuted the claim by Obaseki that the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole participated in the mock governorship primaries held in Benin.
The ruling party’s stalwarts also dismissed Obasaki as a serial liar for blaming Oshiomhole for the hike of COVID-19 cases in the state following the conduct of the said shadow primaries.
APC Edo leaders said, “Rather than blame others for the problems facing the state including his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, Obaseki should point out what his administration has done with the N350 billion revenue that had accrued to the state”.
In a statement issued by the gubernatorial aspirants and other party stakeholders, the APC leaders distanced Oshiomhole from the mock primary, just as they debunked claims by Obaseki’s administration that the party jeopardized the efforts to curtail the spread of the pandemic by flouting the ban on large gatherings issued by the state government.
“We vehemently deny any involvement of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in our activities. We also state emphatically that there was no crowded meeting of 20 persons or more by this body of APC leaders anywhere in Edo State in recent times.
“We hereby challenge Governor Godwin Obaseki to prove his allegation of a crowded meeting of more than 50 persons by releasing a video of such an event.
They described the attempt by the Obaseki’s administration to drag Oshiomhole’s name into the activities of the APC members in Edo State as blackmail and disrespectful of the national chairman, whose excellent performance while in government remains the selling point for the party in the state.
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Part of the statement reads, “Contrary to the resort to personalized attacks by Gov. Obaseki on the APC national chairman, who is not contesting any election, we are confronting Obaseki with evidence of bad governance, embezzlement of state funds, destruction of democratic culture, wicked demonization of those on whose backs he rose to power and systematic destruction of APC that brought him to power.
“As in April 2020, Edo State under Obaseki has netted about N350 billion from the federation account, internally generated revenue, bailout funds, Paris Club refund enhanced by the exchange rate.
“There is not a single project worthy of commissioning as Obaseki moves towards the end of his tenure.
“Even in the current fight against COVID-19, he does not care about the sufferings of the people but is busy converting the opportunity for embezzlement, embarking on political campaigns under the guise of sensitization campaigns against the coronavirus.
“Till today, there is no lockdown in Edo State in order to avoid spending on palliatives. Yet, he moved markets to school premises in the entire state with a promise to fumigate the markets statewide.
“No fumigation has been carried out and the school premises are fast becoming refuse dumps. Huge crowds are crammed into whatever space in the schools without social distancing.
“He ordered people to wear face-masks but his government did not provide any for the poor masses. The number of infected people is growing exponentially, he doesn’t care”.
Meanwhile, the prominent Edo APC leaders who jointly signed the statement include, Engr Chris Ogiemwonyi, Former Minister of State for Works, H.E Dr Pius Odubu, Former Deputy Governor, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere Rtd, Former Governorship Candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Former SSG, and Former Governorship Candidate, Hon. Saturday U. Idehen, Former NDDC Commissioner, H.E Rev. Peter Obadan, Former Deputy Governor, H.E Lucky Imasuen, Former Deputy Governor, Sen. Francis Alimikhena, Immediate Past Deputy Chief Whip, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Peter Akpatason, Deputy Leader, Rt. Hon. Johnson Oghuma amongst others.
