The Edo State Government has issued a firm ultimatum to the Governor-elect, Senator Monday Okpebholo, giving him 48 hours to present concrete evidence supporting his recent allegations against the outgoing administration. The government has demanded that Okpebholo provide proof of his claims, which accuse the current administration of engaging in looting and vandalism of state assets.
Senator Okpebholo, who was recently elected as the next governor of Edo State, raised concerns regarding suspicious activities within the outgoing administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki. He alleged that certain government officials were involved in questionable loan agreements, as well as the looting of government property such as vehicles, furniture, and electronics. With the handover of power set to occur in less than a month, Okpebholo called on financial institutions to refrain from granting new loans to the outgoing government.
In response to these allegations, the Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, released a strongly worded statement challenging Senator Okpebholo to back his claims with tangible evidence. Specifically, Osagie demanded that Okpebholo disclose the names of the banks from which loans were purportedly taken by the state government within the last three months, as well as other verifiable evidence of the alleged looting.
The statement emphasized that the principle of law is clear: "He who alleges must prove." The government, therefore, challenged the Governor-elect to substantiate his allegations with factual and empirical evidence or risk being seen as engaging in baseless accusations.
Osagie further stated, “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 vandalizing 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, within the next 48 hours, provide credible and verifiable proof to back up their claims.”
He continued, "Okpebholo must understand that the business of governance in Edo State is very serious, and the office of the Governor is not a place for baseless accusations or political jesters. Therefore, he must provide substantial evidence to support his claims within 48 hours."
If Okpebholo is unable to provide the requested proof within the given time frame, the Edo State Government has stated that he must issue a formal and unreserved apology for his accusations, which the government has described as spurious and without merit.