Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo’s trip to the United Kingdom on Friday generated reactions from opposition groups, as they described the trip as a jamboree.

The opposition, citing the number of appointees that accompanied the Governor, insisted the trip is a jamboree.

The opposition, further said Okpebholo’s trip to woo investors in Glasgow, Scotland, last year, ended in a scandal after a promised $250m investment deal failed to yield any results.

In his reaction, State Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Christopher Ojeikere, said Edo people were still waiting for the outcome of Governor Okpebholo’s visit to Scotland.

“We are still waiting for the audio $250m projects to be executed after the Scotland visit. We have not seen any project. The Governor is seeking opportunities to travel the world and the President has made so much money available to them. That is the only motive. We have enough problems at home and enough local solutions which the Governor has not exploited

“The last time, he spent one week but what did he come back with? We don’t take them seriously. We regret that at a time Nigeria is making so much money, it is falling into the hands of people who have no plan to take our people out of poverty.”

On his part, National Coordinator of the Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) Dr Samson Isibor, described the trip as a wasteful exercise.

He added, “Edo does not deserve this type of tricks Okpebholo is using. Nothing works in this state. The earlier trip to Scotland brought nothing to the state. It is corruption galore. Look at the fly-overs. He went there for jamboree and not for any economic value. He went to Scotland last year and no investor came.”

However, Edo Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, said 90 percent of those that accompanied the Governor sponsored themselves to London.

Afegbua explained that the London meeting organized by the London Professional Training Centre was to enable the Governor to interact with Edo people in the diaspora and inform them about what is happening in the state.

He said, “More than 90% of those who travelled sponsored themselves to the UK. Maybe those who are saying the trip cost N2bn saw it in their dreams. They should know that Governor Monday Okpebholo does not waste money on things like this. He told people that want to go but they should not rely on government funding.

“The visit is to interact with the Edos in the diaspora, to bring them up to speed with what is happening back home. The whole idea is for sensitization. Do not forget elections are coming and lots of those in the diaspora do make remittances back home. If they know that the government is working, they will be able to tell their relations back home to support the APC.”