60 Days In Office: Lawlessness, Reckless Spending, Marred Okpebholo's Regime —Gidigba Group

60 Days In Office: Lawlessness, Reckless Spending, Marred Okpebholo's Regime —Gidigba Group

By Editor 

Upon taking up the office of governor Nov. 12 last year, the Okpebholo-led administration cannot be said to have achieved any significant feat, signifying the governor's unpreparedness and lack of capacity to drive development in Edo.

Despite the over N30billion inherited from the past administration, we are yet to see a sign from this government. 

More so having climbed to power on the back of lawlessness and concerted electoral criminality in cahoots with INEC, lawlessness, disregard for due process, which has become the face of this administration continue to depopularize the government, leading to reduced public confidence and trust in its ability to get things done. 

Gidigba, a socio-political group, has asked Edo people not to expect any real or sophisticated governance from this administration, flowing from its failure to roll out practicable policies and programmes to run, with two months into this administration; speaking further, the group's director of political operations, Eseosa Ewere, noted that, whereas two months may not be sufficient to appraise an administration's capacity, it is however expected that within the period, citizens should already begin to feel its impact, going by the policies and programmes it ought to have outlined for execution. 

Yet, the government continue to spend recklessly on articles of little or no relevance in the economic and social life of Edo people. 

One of those reckless spendings stems from the recent purchase of over 150 Toyota Hilux vehicles for a whooping ₦9.6billion.

"We are also aware of another ₦5billion spent on bullet proof vehicles by the governor, this same governor is reported to have blown about ₦30billion in less than two weeks of inauguration, whether these monies are appropriated for in the 2025 budgetary allocation is now under consideration by observers," the group stated.

Reports reaching Gidigba suggests that these monies, though not captured in the annual budget, have all left the State's coffers; group suggests Okpebholo's financial recklessness is a strange narrative in our body polity, negating all forms of fiscal responsibility and prudent financial disbursement, traits which stood the Obaseki-led administration on a solid pedestal. 

The group has queried the laws guiding the proposed fly-over in Ikpoba Hill, when exactly the project is bid to commence, how much has been lawlessly voted for the project, how much was spent in the kangaroo groundbreaking. 

When was the bidding process and who eventually secured the project? questions upon questions begging for answers, yet this administration finds it inconveniencing to enlighten Edo people on ongoings in government. 

The Okpebholo-led administration has shown total incapacitation to drive development, it has shown a lack of ability to collaborate and obey the rule of law; the temporary administration has also blatantly disregarded the Supreme Court judgement on local government autonomy, and to drive home its lawlessness, the administration has influenced erring Councilors to facilitate kangaroo impeachments against Council Chairmen, an act now facing increased public condemnation by the vast majority of Nigerians. 

While Edo people has been told to brace up for the hard times that comes with the interim Okpebholo-led government, as this administration does not possess the revolutionary competence to improve our economy.

It is expected that the mandate recovery pursuit of the PDP, and by the grace of God the accompanying victory in Court, ushering in the people's governor and deputy, Asue Ighodalo and Osarodion Ogie, in no distant time, will quickly fix the rot incured on Edo by the Okpebholo-led administration, and give Edo people the real men they voted in the September 21 Edo gubernatorial election. 

"Brace up, be strong, and don't be discouraged," Gidigba urges Edo people.