N8bn Allegation: Okpebholo, Obaseki Trade Accusations Over Edo Funds

Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo and his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki, have exchanged accusations over an alleged ₦8 billion withdrawal from the state’s funds shortly before the end of the previous administration.

Okpebholo made the allegation during an interview with an online television platform, claiming that ₦20 billion was released to the state approximately two weeks before he assumed office.

According to the governor, ₦8 billion was subsequently withdrawn within a week, leaving ₦12 billion which he said was preserved with the intervention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He also accused the previous administration of leaving substantial debts, including outstanding salary obligations at Ambrose Alli University and other liabilities.

Okpebholo said his government had been addressing some of the inherited obligations, including payments relating to the institution and other projects.

However, Obaseki, through his media aide, Crusoe Osagie, rejected the allegations, describing them as false and politically motivated.

In a statement issued on Sunday, November 15, the former governor insisted that his administration neither diverted state funds nor left outstanding salary debts as alleged by his successor.

Obaseki accused Okpebholo of making unsubstantiated claims to distract attention from his administration’s performance.

He also questioned the governor’s record after nearly two years in office, arguing that substantial public funds had passed through the state government without corresponding development results.

The former governor further criticised the current administration’s handling of the Museum of West African Art, popularly known as MOWAA, following its closure.

Okpebholo had described the project as an issue that would require further explanation, while Obaseki defended its significance to Edo State’s cultural and tourism profile.

The exchange has renewed political tensions between the two administrations, with both sides presenting conflicting accounts of the state’s financial position during the transition.

The allegation of an ₦8 billion diversion has not been established by an independent investigation in the reports available. The competing claims remain disputed.