Outgoing Gov Obaseki Has Fled Edo – Gov Elect Okpebholo Alleges

By Ayodele Oni

Edo State Governor-Elect, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has alleged that outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki has fled the state ahead of his inauguration on Tuesday.

Okpebholo also flayed statements credited to Obaseki in the last few days advising him to seek immediate psychiatric attention, following his recent utterances and public displays.

In a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday and signed by Godspower Inegbe, media assistant to Okpebholo, the Governor-Elect said Edo people were worried by Obaseki’s reckless statements and urged that his state of mind should be evaluated.

The Governor-Elect in the statement sounded the alarm over the whereabouts of Obaseki, who on Friday reportedly fled Benin City, the Edo State capital, using a disguised bus.

The statement said that Obaseki chased out everyone from the Government House on Friday before escaping to a yet-to-be known location more than 72 hours before his official departure from office.

The statement further noted that Obaseki was making the false claims to shift attention away from his sinister plans to leave the country through the land borders.

“As of Friday, 8th of November, the whereabouts of Obaseki were unknown. He has chased everyone out of Edo State Government House. He has abandoned governance in the State, and he is on the run.

“He has escaped through the road out of Benin. He did not pass through the airport. If he is as popular as he claims, why did he not use the airport to escape? Instead, he hired a bus and disguised while escaping from Edo State.

“Obaseki is trying to push out these narratives in order to distract the public. His antics will not work. We know his plans, and we will continue to expose his shenanigans to Edo people.”

Obaseki,  had on Saturday, claimed that Senator Okpebholo did not invite him to his inauguration, slated for Tuesday. He also claimed without proof that the Governor-Elect has a stolen mandate.

Reacting the statement added that “Outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki needs serious and urgent psychiatric attention to evaluate his state of mind. His recent utterances and public displays should get Edo sons and daughters worried.

“In his latest diatribe, Obaseki, who has supervised one of the biggest financial heists and misappropriated resources of Edo state, is again engaging in his usual beer parlour talks.

“According to the unpopular outgoing governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo stole the mandate freely given to him by Edo people. In his usual myopic mind, he wants to change the narratives and set a dangerous precedence.”

The statement said Okpebholo won the elections convincingly and added that the tribunal will soon validate his claims.

It slated that Obaseki would not get away with the reckless claims.

“Obaseki will not get away with this misrepresentation. Senator Monday Okpebholo, the Governor-Elect of Edo State, won the 21st September governorship election in Edo State.

“Obaseki is still licking his wound of defeat and is yet to accept the reality. Edo people, through the ballot, rejected the planned continuation of Obaseki’s satanic government through his glorified stooge, Asue Ighodalo.”

Okpebholo said Obaseki was trying to influence the outcome of the ongoing case at the tribunal by making false claims.

“The Peoples Democratic Party is already challenging the outcome of the election in court. We are therefore worried that Obaseki is in a hurry to pre-empt the outcome of the tribunal by repeatedly making false claims.

“Unfortunately for Obaseki, his baseless claims will not stand. The Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate, Ighodalo, have no case against Senator Okpebholo. The tribunal will soon confirm that.”