The Caretaker Committee of the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has distanced itself from a statement issued by “factional acting chairman”; of the party, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, which criticized moves by Governor Monday Okpebholo to borrow N100 billion for infrastructural projects.
DAILY POST reports that the House of Assembly had on Tuesday approved Okpebholo’s request to borrow the sum of N100 billion from First Bank of Nigeria Plc to fund infrastructural projects through a contractor finance arrangement.
Aziegbemi, in a statement on Wednesday, criticized the governor and the Assembly over the move, describing the planned borrowing as unacceptable, reckless and dangerous.
Aziegbemi accused the Okpebholo administration of hiking the state’s debt profile, noting that the governor is taking less than eight months to incur N100 billion debt. According to him, it took all previous administrations in Edo State 34 years to incur N112 billion debt.
However, in a statement by the Publicity Secretary, Bob-Manuel Umoru, on Friday, the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee said Aziegbemi does not speak for the opposition party.
Umoru, in the statement, described Aziegbemi as factional chairman of the ‘now defunct’ camp of ex-Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki.
Umoru accused Aziegbemi of keeping silent while the Obaseki administration misgoverned the state, adding that he lacks the legitimacy to now turn around and criticize the new government.
Parts of the statement read, “The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wishes to categorically disassociate itself from a recent statement credited to one Tony Aziegbemi, the self-styled factional chairman of the now-defunct Obaseki camp. For the avoidance of doubt, Tony Aziegbemi is not the Acting Chairman of Edo PDP and lacks the legitimacy, moral standing, and party endorsement to speak on our behalf.
“It is both amusing and insulting that a man who stood idly by while Edo State was looted under Obaseki’s eight years of catastrophic misrule now attempts to preach financial prudence and offer unsolicited analysis on government borrowing. Where was his voice when his principal was plunging Edo State into unprecedented debt with nothing to show? No roads. No industries. No infrastructure. No transparency.
“Mr. Aziegbemi’s empty rhetoric failed to mention the total sum Obaseki borrowed, nor could he identify a single landmark project tied to those funds. The loans allegedly taken for agriculture, infrastructure, and other ‘classified’ purposes vanished into a black hole leaving Edo people to bear the burden of debt without a trace of development.
“Tony Aziegbemi’s outdated propaganda belongs in the graveyard of Obaseki’s failed legacy, not in the public discourse of today’s Edo. He should be more concerned about helping his former principal account for the hundreds of millions of dollars that disappeared under his watch.”;
The statement stressed that the PDP in Edo State is not against Okpebholo’s plans to secure loans to finance infrastructural projects.
But it urged the governor to ensure that the loans are utilized efficiently and transparently, for the benefit of Edo people.
“Let it be clearly stated: the Edo PDP is not opposed to Governor Monday Okpebholo’s efforts to secure loans for meaningful infrastructural development. We urge him to ensure such loans are transparently utilized and directed at projects that will tangibly improve the lives of our people.
“As a party, we are committed to responsible opposition, constructive, not bitter. We will hold the ruling party accountable, demand performance, and ensure that the promises made to the good people of Edo State are not forgotten. But we will not allow impostors and political relics to speak for us.
“The Edo PDP belongs to the people, not to those who sold it for crumbs,”; the statement added.
