Ex-Edo Information Commissioner Nehikhare Slams Obaseki's Critics, Says Former Governor Not on the Run

       Nehikhare, (l) Ogbegie (standing) at the.            briefing                                                              

Hendrix Oliomogbe 

Former Edo State Commissioner of Communications and Orientation, Mr. Chris Nehikhare has debunked rumours making the rounds in Edo State that former Governor Godwin Obaseki escaped abroad to escape from the long arms of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Speaking with reporters Tuesday in Benin City at the state secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Nehikhare declared that Obaseki is willing to appear before any of the anti-graft agencies if invited to give an account of his stewardship during his stint as governor between 2016 and 2024.

Flanked by his successor, Mr. Dan Ogbegie, the immediate past Publicity Secretary of the Edo State chapter of the PDP challenged, those he referred to as jobless people to write to either the EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) or the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), if they have hard facts of financial impropriety or otherwise against the ex-governor.

He added: "Godwin Obaseki is a free man. If anybody wants EFCC or ICPC or DPP to investigate Obaseki, they can write to any of them and they will invite him or do whatever they want to do."

Mr. Nehikhare defended the former governor, insisting that he (Obaseki) deliberately stayed away from Edo State and refused to be visible because he wanted to give the present governor the opportunity to prove his worth to Edo people.

The former commissioner accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government of Governor Monday Okpebholo of being unnecessarily obsessive with the deconstruction of Obaseki, adding:

"APC cannot wake up in the morning without talking about Godwin Obaseki and the former government. What Edo people are saying is that he has done his time. You do your time and do your own."

According to Mr. Nehikhare, the past administration constructed 1,300 km of roads across the state between 2016 and 2024, lamenting that roads in uptown GRA, Benin City have gone from bad to worse under Governor Okpebholo.

He said: "If you fix roads in GRA, it will have more economic impact on Edo State than in most other areas. That's my personal opinion. Other people may have other opinions."

He slammed the present administration for abandoning its predecessor's projects, adding that government, as they say is a continuum.

He said: "Governor Okpebholo has been dismantling all the structures of his predecessor because they are in different political parties. 

"He doesn't understand that government is a continuous process. Somebody was there before. You are there now. And you will leave. After four years by the special grace of God, you will leave and somebody else will replace you."