Edo: APC Stakeholders Ask Gov Okpebholo To Redeploy Obaseki’s Staff

The All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders in Edo State have urged Governor Monday Okpebholo to reassign Government House personnel affiliated with his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki.

Addressing the issue on behalf of the Edo APC intellectual leaders, their representative, Momodu Adams, stated that many of the civil servants have grown accustomed to collaborating with Obaseki, and retaining them in their current roles poses a security threat.

Adams emphasized that there is an immediate necessity for the reassignment of staff, ranging from the Permanent Secretary of the Government House, Edith Sede, to the caterers.

He noted that following the recent unauthorized disclosure of official memos from the Government House, the governor can no longer retain these employees.

Adams pointed out that Sede is a well-known ally of Obaseki and the former Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie, and continues to work alongside all the civil servants in the Government House who served during Obaseki’s tenure, a situation he termed as disheartening for Okpebholo’s appointed officials.

“During major events in the State, Mrs Sede engages loyalists of the PDP and Obaseki to handle the cooking and other official arrangements.

“Within the Government House, Sede has retained cooks who served in Obaseki’s administration. This arrangement is causing serious disarray, as appointees are now afraid of being poisoned.

“APC leaders are worried about the development because some persons are leaking official documents in their possession to PDP leaders, especially Ogie and Asue Ighodalo, who are trying to upturn the victory of Governor Okpebholo at the Tribunal.

“If something urgent is not done, who knows what will happen next?

“All protocol officers in Government House including those who serve tea to Governor Okpebholo are loyalists of Obaseki who are being retained by the Permanent Secretary. Accountants, procurement officers, cooks, drivers, and 98 percent of the staff who worked in Government House during Obaseki’s administration are still in Okpebholo’s administration.

“We are worried. People hide or sit on files meant for the Governor.

“For instance, Governor Okpebholo currently has no retainership with any media house because there are people scheming to frustrate Okpebholo’s administration by ensuring that he gets bad press.

“We understand that media houses and journalists in Edo State are losing patience with Governor Okpebholo’s administration. When the media starts its own war with the new administration, it will mess it up, and that is what some people want. They frustrate everything that will give the Okpebholo administration the needed good image,” Adams stated.