Benin City — Edo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called for the resignation of Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state over allegation of broken down security situation, disobedience of court order and that the state government was securing a N25b loan without disclosure of what it was being used for.
In a reaction, the Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chris Nehikhare, said the APC has resorted to a wild goose chase to “oust the governor even as they continue to run from pillar to post to undo the will of Edo people.”
A statement on Sunday by chairman caretaker committee of the APC, Col David Imuse (rtd) said “No one is safe in Edo. The state is under siege. We have a governor who has lost focus. Fear and insecurity has become the order of the day”.
Imuse added that Obaseki has refused to obey a court judgment that declared the removal of the chairman of Estako East local government chairman from office as illegal and should be returned to office by allegedly mobilising “thugs to seal up the entrance of the Council Secretariat at Agenebode, denying the Chairman access.
“Because Edo state is designed to be governed by relevant laws, Edo APC is ready to take the bull by the horns, as it can no longer condone a governor who has no regard for the rule of law”.
The Edo APC Chairman who also blamed Obaseki for making Edo the third most indebted state in the country, wondered why he would “clamdestinely” resort to borrowing the sum of N25billion from the capital market without telling Edo people, why and what it will be used for.”
But in is reaction to the removal of the council chairman, Nehikhare said the state government was law abiding as it has appealed against the judgment and filed for stay of execution of the ruling while on the N25 loan, he said it was “a developmental loan secured by the state government to develop and revitalise critical infrastructures.
“The Edo State House of Assembly, which represents the Edo people also approved the loan months ago. To Imuse and his ilk, a loan approved by a state House of Assembly was secretly secured. This is irresponsible and garrulous talk”.
He said Obaseki was already assisting the police to rebuild destroyed police stations as a result of the violent turn of #EndSASR protests despite security being in the purview of the federal government.
Vanguard News Nigeria