Okpebholo distances self from EFCC arrest of Edo govt officials

Governor-elect of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, who is set to assume office on November 12, has denied knowledge of the arrest of the Edo State Accountant General and four other government officials by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Okpebholo in a statement by his media aide Godswill Inegbe exonerated himself from any involvement in the recent arrests, insisting that he learnt about the arrests from media reports

“To clarify and inform the general public, the Governor-elect, like every citizen of Edo State, learned of the arrests of Mr. Julius Anelu and other state officials through media reports,” Inegbe said. “The arrests by the EFCC were reportedly aimed at preventing last-minute withdrawals from the state’s accounts.”

He referenced earlier warnings to the public and relevant security agencies about the ongoing looting of funds and theft of government property at the Government House in Benin and across various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

“The EFCC’s arrests and detention of key officials, who are signatories to the government account, may have inadvertently revealed the extent of the looting of state funds and the appropriation of government properties by certain high-ranking officials,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Edo State Government has said the incoming government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is unprepared for governance, citing its claims on the Godwin Obaseki administration.

READ ALSO:Edo govt hindering smooth transition to Okpebholo, says APC committee

The state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare made the remark while responding to the APC’s accusation that the outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki plans to burden the incoming administration with the recruitment of 4,000 teachers.