The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has thrown down a bold challenge, promising to reward the immediate past governor, Godwin Obaseki, with N50 million if he can confidently walk the streets of Benin City and receive an enthusiastic welcome from its residents.
Prince Kassim Afegbua, a prominent APC chieftain and member of the Edo State Assets Verification Committee, made this declaration during a press briefing.
The event followed the committee’s inauguration by Governor Monday Okpebholo at the Government House in Benin City.
Responding to criticisms from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the newly sworn-in administration of Governor Okpebholo, Afegbua dismissed the allegations as baseless and misguided.
He remarked, “The reason for this press briefing, just like the chairman said, is to respond to some insinuations out there.
“First, they said the government of APC, barely 14 days old, has shut down the e-governance platform. That is very laughable and very incorrect. What they called e-governance is actually e-corruption.
“That is the basic truth because we tried as much as possible to access some of the information paraded before this new government, and we couldn’t even access them.
“Secondly, the opposition is saying that our thugs invaded their secretariat. I think they are just trying to call a dog a bad name in order to hang it. We are too preoccupied, too serious, and too busy trying to lift Edo State from the ashes of underdevelopment left behind by the previous government.”
Afegbua further dismissed the PDP’s claims as distractions from a defeated opposition, saying: “To be looking at the secretariat of an opposition party that was humbled at the last election—beaten flat in their domains by the resounding victory we got from the Edo people—is simply unworthy of our attention.
“The decisions and policy focus of the present government ensure we won’t be bogged down by baseless accusations aimed at derailing us.”
Addressing concerns about the recently launched asset verification exercise, he explained, “All over the world, it is standard practice to establish a status report when a new government takes over. This isn’t unique to Edo or Nigeria.
“The previous administration lacked transparency in its governance process. As APC, aligned with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, we have a duty to interrogate the gaps left behind, as outlined by the chairman of the Assets Verification Committee.”
In a pointed remark, Afegbua issued a challenge to the opposition: “If the opposition is truly serious, they should please invite ex-Governor Godwin Obaseki to come to Edo for a street walk. We are ready to pay him N50 million for that particular exercise and let us see who the Edo people will embrace.”
He also alleged that Obaseki had hired individuals across the state to tarnish the APC and its administration.
However, Afegbua assured that such efforts would not deter the government from its mission to deliver transformative projects and address Edo State’s pressing challenges.