From our Political desk, Benin
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has defended Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo’s decision to suspend the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Samson Osagie, and the Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, Damian Lawani, over allegations of financial infractions.
The party insists that the move demonstrates the governor’s commitment to accountability and transparency; qualities it claims were absent in the previous administration under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Prince Peter Uwadiae Enosorogbe Igbinigie Esq
In a statement released by its State Publicity Secretary, Prince Peter Uwadiae Enosorogbe Igbinigie Esq, the APC countered the PDP’s criticisms, asserting that Okpebholo’s decision to suspend the officials aligns with global best practices.
A stand against Corruption
The APC emphasized that Governor Okpebholo has demonstrated a zero-tolerance approach to corruption, unlike his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki, under whom, it claimed, no official was ever suspended for corruption-related offenses.
“We never at any time heard the immediate past Governor, Godwin Obaseki, suspending anyone suspected of corruption.
“But here we have a Governor who insists that transparency, accountability, and justice must be the hallmark of his administration.”
The Party acknowledged that the allegations against Osagie and Lawani remain unproven but argued that their suspension is necessary to ensure an impartial investigation.
“As of today, the Okpebholo-led administration has not given specifics on the alleged offenses. That remains the responsibility of the investigative panel. Until then, nobody can say for certain what the offenses are,” the APC stated.
PDP’s allegations unfounded
Reacting to the PDP’s assertion that the suspensions confirm financial mismanagement under Okpebholo, the APC dismissed the claim as baseless.
The Party also refuted allegations that the State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) had plummeted from N8 billion to N2 billion under Okpebholo’s leadership.
“The PDP’s claims are not only false but also a deliberate attempt to mislead the people.
“Under Governor Obaseki, Edo State’s IGR stood at N8 billion before the election but dropped to N6 billion during the election period due to various factors.
“However, since the appointment of Bankole Balogun as Chairman of the State Internal Revenue Board, the IGR has risen to N10 billion as declared for January 2025,” the APC explained.
