The Edo State Government has given Governor-elect, Senator Monday Okpebholo, 48 hours to provide evidence supporting his allegations of looting and vandalism against the current administration.
Okpebholo had previously raised concerns about questionable loan deals and the looting of government assets by officials in the outgoing administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki. With less than a month before the handover, he urged banks and financial institutions to stop approving loans for the outgoing government.
The senator also expressed alarm over reports of suspicious loan acquisitions and the widespread theft of government property, including vehicles, furniture, and electronic devices.
In a statement by the Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, the government challenged Okpebholo to provide the names of banks from which the government has taken any loans in the last three months according to his allegations or any other evidence to validate his spurious and baseless claims, in line with the principle that he who alleges must prove.
He said, “The Edo State Government is giving a 48-hour ultimatum to Senator Monday Okpebholo to provide verifiable proof to substantiate his claims that government officials are looting and vandalising assets in the State.
“We are a very serious government and there is no room for such spurious and unfounded allegations which is why we are demanding that Okpebholo and his handlers should within the next 48 hours provide credible and verifiable proof to substantiate their claims.
” Okpehbolo must understand that the business of governance in Edo State is very serious, and the office of Governor is not for palace jesters.
“It is on this ground that we demand that he, within the next 48 hours, provide empirical evidence to substantiate his spurious looting allegations against the state government.
“Otherwise, he must tender unreserved apology to the State Government.”
