Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, has said he would claim double of the money spent to fix interstate roads if elected governor.
Okpenholor will contest against other candidates, such as Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party and Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the September 21 election in the state.
According to TheCable, Okpebholo said this in a recent interview with BBC Pidgin.
He was said to be responding to a question about the poor condition of some interstate roads in Edo, and how the state government has not repaired them.
Okpebholo said the excuse that a road belongs to the Federal Government can only be given by an “unserious man”.
He added that Adams Oshiomhole, a former governor of the state and current senator, used the state resources to repair federal roads.
“When Adams Oshiomhole was there (governor), he was using our own Edo state money for those roads (federal roads) for Edo people,” he said.
“I have seen several governors that have done that; they recouped their money back.
“If I were him (Obaseki), if I put 10 million there (on federal roads), I will claim 20 million from the federal government.”
In July 2023, the convoy of Obaseki got stuck in the muddy part of the Benin-Sapele road in the state capital.
Video clips of the incident appeared on social media and elicited reactions.
Reacting to the incident, Obaseki said his administration cannot fix the Benin-Auchi, Benin-Sapele, and other federal roads because of the confusing position of the federal government on the rehabilitation of federal roads by the states.
The governor said his administration has sought the federal government’s attention concerning the deplorable condition of such roads in the state, noting that nothing has been done.
