Edo PDP, APC trade words over Obaseki’s alleged N18bn loan request
Titus Akhigbe Benin City
Edo Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday denied an alleged N18 billion loan request by Governor Godwin Obaseki, which has continued to raise eyebrows from the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
The party also called on the former National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and spokesman for the Edo APC campaign council, Mr. John Mayaki, to accept the defeat suffered at the hands of Obaseki and stop their infantile and unwarranted attacks on the governor and his administration.
The State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chris Osa Nehikhare, in a statement, said the Obaseki-led government is committed to the development of the state.
Nehikhare urged the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to desist from further attack on the Edo state governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki.
“It is quite unfortunate that we are compelled to once again attend to the rantings from the camp of the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who has grown fond of Edo State Government treasury and cannot fathom to bear the pain that he would never have access to the till, with which the governor has continued to pursue developmental projects for the progress and advancement of the state.
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He added that the lack of critical thinking in the camp of Oshiomhole was telling with the inconsistencies in the allegations, as it was claimed that the governor was taking the loan with the plan to pay back with the state’s 13 percent crude oil derivation credits, but in the same line of thought, the writer alleged that there was no clear repayment plan.
“The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, is not profligate like Oshiomhole and this much is evident from the governor’s leadership style as well as the manner in which he has managed the state’s resources to the admiration of local and foreign partners, who continue to commend the prudent, transparent and judicious allocation of resource in pursuit of sustainable development and economic advancement in the state.”Nehikhare said.
Meanwhile, the Edo state chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) on Wednesday accused the Obaseki led government and the PDP of chasing shadows instead of focusing on the very critical issue at stake bothering on a alleged N18bn loan request by the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.
A statement signed by the Assistant State Publicity Secretary of APC, Victor Ofure Osehobo and made available to newsmen in Benin city said the Obaseki led administration must be accountable to Edo people.
He said the attempt by the administration to obtain another N18-billion loan will amount to mortgaging the future of Edo state.
“The issue this time around is very clear or let’s put it as a question: Is the Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki and his administration taking another N18-billion loan to mortgage the future of Edo state, so soon after taking N25-billion loan from the capital market?
“Edo people want to know, what are the loans being collected for? Why is due process being sidelined in the process of seeking and collecting the loans? Why are Edo people being kept in the dark about loans that their unborn children will spend decades repaying? These are the issues.
“Nevertheless, it is not a surprise that the PDP is very much in the dark about the Governor and his style of administration and as such is seriously handicapped with the facts to respond to matters of this nature.”Osehebo said.
