Edo: Obaseki Is Ready For EFCC Probe

Governor Godwin Obaseki says he has nothing to hide on how he ran Edo state as governor, and will be readily available if called to give account of his stewardship by the anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The governor spoke during the  EdoBEST National Results-Sharing Session in Abuja, the nation’s capital on Thursday.

Obaseki’s remark comes few days to the end of his administration. He’s expected to quit the government house on November 12 after spending eight years in office as the chief executive of the Niger Delta state.

His party recently failed to win the governorship election, thus making it impossible for Obaseki to install his successor, amidst suggestions that the governor was planning to cover up his tracks if he had succeeded in imposing a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP governor.

Monday Opebholo of the All Progressives Congress, APC, roundly defeated Asue Ighodalo, the candidate backed by the outgoing governor three months ago.

Already, there are rumours in the state that the incoming administration is planning to probe the Obaseki’s administration, on how he managed the states’ resources for eight years.

In the face of all of this, Obaseki said his hands are clean as he has nothing to hide, stressing that he would make himself available to the EFCC for probe anytime he’s required to do so.

“I’m not afraid of the EFCC,” Governor Obaseki asserted yesterday, adding that he has done his best for the state as governor.

“Why should I be? What is important is focus. I came into office and ignored the noise, concentrating on what I felt was important, and today, you can see the results. If the EFCC calls on me, I will hand myself over; I have nothing to hide,”  Obaseki stated.

Opebholo, the Governor-elect recently accused Governor Obaseki of hurriedly recruiting some cronies into the state civil service, warning that his administration is averse to the development, stressing that it’s unfathomable for the outgoing administration of Obaseki to employ people few days to the end of his administration.

The Chairman of the APC Transition Committee, Hakeem Afegbua stated the Governor-elect position on the issue during the week.

Following the arrest of two former Governors Darius Dickson Ishaku and Ifeanyin Okowa of Taraba and Delta states by the EFCC for prosecution, political watchers in the country insist that more former governors have been listed for arrest by the anti-graft agency.