Edo govt, PDP trade words over Obaseki

The Edo State Government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have exchanged sharp words over demands that former governor Godwin Obaseki return to the state to answer questions on alleged financial irregularities during his eight-year tenure. The Edo PDP said no individual or institution could intimidate or compel Obaseki to return to the state under […]

The Edo State Government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have exchanged sharp words over demands that former governor Godwin Obaseki return to the state to answer questions on alleged financial irregularities during his eight-year tenure.
The Edo PDP said no individual or institution could intimidate or compel Obaseki to return to the state under the guise of questioning him over his time in office, insisting that the former governor would do so only when he chooses.
The state PDP chairman, Dr Toni Azeigbemi, stated this while responding to the state government’s call on Obaseki to return and account for his stewardship.
Azeigbemi said the party stood firmly with the former governor, describing the allegations as a needless assault on what he called Obaseki’s transformational projects and reform legacy.
The PDP chairman accused the state government of politicising accountability and seeking to discredit Obaseki after his exit from office.
However, the Edo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, dismissed the PDP’s position, insisting that public officers must account for their stewardship.
Afegbua said individuals with nothing to hide would not avoid scrutiny, arguing that Obaseki’s continued stay abroad raised questions about his record in office.
“If he has no skeleton in his cupboard, he would gladly return home. But because of his involvement in financial malfeasance, he keeps looking for excuses to remain overseas,” Afegbua said.