Francis Ogbuagu 
The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday accused the Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki of leaving only one functional vehicles for the incoming administration.
He also lambasted the outgoing governor for complaining that he was not invited for November 12 inauguration.
A statement from Prince Kassim Afegbua, member of APC Transition Committee, which was made available to journalists in Benin City, Edo State, said the outgoing governor has suddenly realized the ephemerality of power and is now lamenting over not being invited
Afegbua said,the APC team met with the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Joseph Eboigbe ,who handed the team over to a Permanent Secretary.
He said that the said Permeant Secretary asked the party to present a budget for the inauguration, but that the Governor -Elect at that point objected to working with the PS and decided to foot the bills for the inauguration himself.
Afegbua said the party has not borrowed any money for the inauguration , adding that the party is careful on spending as many Edo people are suffering.
The statement read in part, “Suddenly, Godwin Obaseki, realizes the ephemerality of power and now resorts to lamentations about an ongoing inauguration without extending an invitation to him.
“We found this to be generously laughable and self indicting. In other climes, an outgoing governor or president organises the inauguration of the incoming, but for the painful loss of the PDP at the election, Governor Obaseki and his co-travellers are doing everything possible to frustrate the inauguration of the incoming Governor.
Rather than sit down to plan the inauguration event as it is done in other climes, Governor Obaseki is busy planting landmines on the path to smooth transfer of power.
“From the transition committee to the inauguration committee, despite all the cooperation we have extended to them, what we have received in return is frustration and deliberate plot to overburden the new administration with all manner of misplaced government decisions. ”
Continuing, he said, “We totally frown at these dubious plots which are clear negations of the standard procedures of power transfer the world over.
Our inauguration team met with the Secretary to the State Government, who later handed our team over to another Permanent Secretary.
The said Permanent Secretary had nothing on her table. She asked that our team should present an inauguration budget, and we declined because we wouldn’t want them to accuse us of spending bogus funds for inauguration.
“When we reported to the GOVERNOR-ELECT, he opted out of such an arrangement and took over the responsibility of funding the inauguration from his own personal resources.
“He has also cut down on the activities to make the entire ceremony a bit moderate. He doesn’t believe in an ostentatious display of resources when a lot of Edo people have been impoverished by Governor Obaseki. He’s of the view that inauguration shouldn’t be an elaborate event. ”
“We have not borrowed a kobo from anywhere. We are not Governor Obaseki and his profligate self. We are conscious of our responsibilities to make life better for the average Edo person. Why should we borrow money because of inauguration?
“Do you know as we speak that most government vehicles have been carted away by government officials? There is only one functional vehicle in Edo state Government House.
“Every vehicle has been carted away. Is that a government that is interested in inauguration? ” Afegbua said.
Reacting in a statement, Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, said it was regrettable that the new government is 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.
Osagie accused the incoming APC government of planning a #5 billion inauguration . He said.
“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 N5bn 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.”
He added that the incoming government is throwing tantrums about the professional manner that the government had wound down as against the old practice where there would be wanton vandalisation of government property and assets.
“We have maintained decorum in the handing over process and the incoming government is having non of it because they also intended to stage a heist 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.
