The Edo State government has faulted a petition from the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and published in a national daily as being “a feeble attempt to tarnish the image of the governor and the state”, “unfair” and “without an iota of truth”.
A national daily had published the said petition on Tuesday, August 4, 2020, from the ICPC, stating that one Andrew Egboigbe, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ward 3, Orhionmwon LGA of Edo State, had petitioned Governor Godwin Obaseki over “unfair award of contracts to companies”.
But in its response, the state government, through the Special Adviser to Edo State Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, on Tuesday, said the allegation is false and a “feeble attempt to tarnish the image of the Edo State governor of a state which prides herself as one of the most transparent states in the management of her finances”.
He wrote: “As a matter of fact, Edo has been rated highly by the World Bank and other development institutions for her openness and transparency in the allocation of scarce resources, beginning with the process of making her budget, awards of contracts and release of funds to contractors.
“We understand that in the electioneering times we are in, such bogus and baseless claims will be sponsored by members of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and their allies, who are threatened by Governor Obaseki’s growing popularity and democratic credentials predicated on his sterling performance in all the sectors of the state.
“As we head into the election, our eyes are constantly on the ball and we will not be distracted by such falsehoods.”
