Godwin Obaseki, the former governor of Edo State, responded to Governor Monday Okpebholo by claiming he was unable to prevent him from entering Benin, the state capital.
Following Okpebholo’s claim that the former governor would not enter the state due to his lack of popularity, Obaseki made the revelation.
Over the weekend, Okpebholo claimed in an interview that the state is now for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election due to his great advances in the state, stressing that he would quit if the President does not win his re-election come 2027.
Additionally, he insisted that Obaseki lacked the courage to enter the state and run for any other candidate than Tinubu because he would encounter resistance from the populace, particularly children, who were subjected to unfair governance by his administration.
“Everybody is for Asiwaju, who is Obaseki? Does he have one anywhere here? Now let him come here. He is unable to attend. He won’t be able to attend Edo because of his bad record.
“Obaseki is afraid to come here. “I will step down as governor if Asiwaju is not re-elected,” he said.
However, answering in a viral video on Monday, Obaseki stated that Okpebholo is a man from a hamlet in Edo State and does not have the ability to restrict him from visiting the state.
He stated that he had particularly left office without saying anything about Okpebholo’s administration to allow them to flourish.
“You will reap violence if you begin with violence.” For one year since I left office, I have not said a word against his government, I have stated to myself that I would allow them the opportunity to shine.
All of a sudden, he began to threaten me and attack my personality. That was sufficient; he sent individuals to assault me.
“This governor threatened me during a shameful press conference this week. Someone from Oredo. This villager is threatening me, saying I can’t travel to Benin and that he will show me when I do. Me! We’ll all come when I’m ready to leave. “This is offensive,” he remarked.
The Peoples Democratic Party’s Edo State chapter warned Okpebholo earlier in the year not to claim credit for the building of Temboga Road and other projects started and finished under Obaseki’s leadership. This is not the first time the two have gotten into a fight.
Chris Nehikhare, the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP Caretaker Committee, claimed in a statement that Okpebholo’s allegations that his government was delaying the construction of the 7.5 km Temboga Road, among other things, were false and deceptive.
The state administration responded by claiming that Obaseki’s shortcomings had been revealed by the former ruling party’s statement, “seeking glory for a failed project.”
According to the PDP statement, the road was already built by Obaseki’s immediate previous administration.
Nehikhare further challenged the governor to stop from his mendacious antics of rewriting the tale of the performance of the Obaseki-led government by taking credit for his initiatives.
He requested that the governor concentrate on fulfilling any campaign pledges by starting initiatives that represented the state’s goals under his administration.
