….By Edo PDP United Legacy League
In recent years, political figures have often been under scrutiny for their actions and decisions, including past conduct. Recent political discourse in Edo State has been marked by accusations levied against the outgoing Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, which span from alleged childhood misdemeanours to contentious decisions in his current office.
Undisclosed sources have resurrected a claim from 1969, when the Governor was a Class Two student at Eghosa Grammar School in Benin City. According to these sources, Obaseki was accused of stealing another student’s plate of rice, an incident that illustrates a pattern of greed that we believe has persisted into the Governor’s adult life.
This claim connects the alleged schoolyard theft to the Governor’s ongoing resistance to returning cultural artefacts to the Oba of Benin. The artefacts, which are vital to the cultural heritage of the Benin Kingdom, have been the subject of a long-standing dispute between the Oba and various stakeholders, including the State Govt. The Governor’s reluctance to support the Oba’s cause is emblematic of a deeper, enduring greed that began in the Governor’s formative years.
Similarly, Chief Dan Orbih, during a press conference a few years ago, accused the Governor of diverting about 4,721 bags of rice out of the 6,822 bags that were delivered to the State Govt for distribution to IDP camps in Edo State 6years ago. Only 2,101 bags of rice were shared with the IDP camps. To date, we are yet to find out what happened to these items, which is highly shameful.
Adding to the controversy, recent happenings in the state suggest that the governor has again been involved in hiding palliatives intended for the masses, a claim that further amplifies concerns about Mr. Obaseki’s integrity. These palliatives, meant to alleviate hardship for the people, were reportedly being withheld, exacerbating public frustration and casting a shadow over the Governor’s administration.
The alleged misappropriation of palliatives is undoubtedly a continuation of the self-serving nature of Godwin Obaseki’s early years as a child.
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