APC transition c’ttee overstepping boundary – Nehikhare

The Edo State Government Joint Transition Committee has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) Transition Committee members of raising false alarms that the Obaseki-led PDP government has not provided them with the needed documents for them to function.

Chris Nehikhare, Edo State commissioner for communication and orientation, who is also a member of the state government transition committee, told newsmen, after a session at the John Odigie-Oyegun Public Service Academy, the venue for the Edo State Joint Transition Committee meeting. He said the PDP-led government has provided documentation in digital form but the APC Transition Committee members insisted on hardcopy documents.

The government said the APC Transition Committee led by Pius Odubu, a former Edo State deputy governor, has not shown readiness to ensure a smooth and peaceful transition following their blatant refusal to attend committee meetings.

Nehikhare accused the APC committee members of thwarting the process for the smooth transition of power in the state.

He said: “The Edo State Government Transition Committee members will continue to come for meetings until October 30th to provide information the APC Transition Committee requires or wants as long as it is within the transition committee mandate.”

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He noted that boycotting meetings as committee members was not a problem but demanding hardcopy documents meant for only the governor-elect, Monday Okpebholo and outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki is impossible. “I think the APC Transition Committee is overstepping its boundary.”

He accused the APC committee of wanting to play the role of the governor-elect by making demands for documents that are not within the purview of the transition committee mandate.

Nehikhare said the APC committee had from the onset of its inauguration, shown disdain to work with the state government committee members.

He said their several absences from meetings with the state Edo State Government Transition Committee were a confirmation that the members were not ready for a smooth transition of power to the incoming government.

“You will recall that before the Edo State Joint Transition Committee began, we had to physically harass the APC to send to us the list of their members. It took them a few days to respond to that. Edo State PDP government did all that because it is a civilised thing to do because when a government is leaving power, it hands over the reins of government in a peaceful and orderly manner.

“We noticed that only the Edo State government committee members are always present for the meetings. We only want the incoming government to have an idea of what we have done and achieved and the challenges we faced while in government.

“We met here last Friday and listed the timetable of how the Joint Transition Committee was going to meet. We do not want the impression that the Edo State government has something to hide. But on the contrary, the APC Transition Committee is the one crying wolf.”