Opposition groups in Edo State and the Edo State government on Friday were engaged in bickering over Governor Monday Okpebholo’s trip to London.
The opposition groups described the trip as a jamboree, citing the number of appointees that accompanied the Governor
They said Governor 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.
Spokesperson for 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 opportunity to travel the world and the President has made so much money available to them. That is the only motive. We have enough problem at home and enough local solutions which the Governor has not exploited
“The last time, he spent one week but what did he came back with? We don’t take them serious. We regret that at a time Nigeria is making so much money, it is falling into the hands of people who has no plan to take our people out of poverty.”
National Coordinator of the Coalition of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) Dr. Samson Isibor, described the trip as a wasteful exercise.
His words, “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.”
But Edo Commissioner for Information and Orientation, 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 interact with Edo people in 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 should go but they should not rely on government funding.
“The visit is to interact with the Edos in diaspora. The whole idea is for sensitization. Do not forget national election is coming and lots of those in 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.”