By Omeiza Ajayi

Senator Monday Okpebholo, the governor-elect of Edo State, has urged the outgoing administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki to prioritize a smooth transition instead of maligning him in the media. Okpebholo’s call comes in response to reports from Obaseki’s camp suggesting that the governor-elect is seeking a $45 million loan from the Chinese government.

In a statement released Sunday by Okpebholo’s office and signed by his media aide, Godspower Inegbe, the governor-elect clarified his recent visit to the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, stressing that the visit was purely diplomatic and not intended to secure any financial commitments. According to the statement, Okpebholo’s attendance was at the ambassador’s invitation, and he was not in any position to negotiate a loan before officially taking office.

“We wish to draw the attention of the public to a misleading report claiming that Senator Monday Okpebholo, who won the November 21st gubernatorial election, was seeking a loan of $45.21 million for three flyover projects in Benin City,” the statement read. Okpebholo emphasized that he lacks constitutional authority to make financial decisions for the state until he assumes office, expressing disappointment that Obaseki’s camp would “resort to petty blackmail.”

The statement also highlights Okpebholo’s intent to focus on repaying debts accrued by the current administration, rejecting any reliance on “memoranda of understanding” as a governing approach. “The Governor-elect, being a realist, will not build his administration on MOUs or become another ‘MoU Governor’ of Edo State,” the statement added, referencing a term used by critics of the outgoing administration to describe perceived empty promises.

Okpebholo also urged the current administration to cooperate in a peaceful transition rather than spreading rumors and obstructing the process. He assured the people of Edo that his tenure will be characterized by prudent resource management and transparency.

“The governor-elect will not take advice from those who have failed and mortgaged the future of Edo people,” the statement concluded, demanding that those behind these allegations apologize to the people of Edo for what Okpebholo termed “years of financial and mental trauma.”

Okpebholo’s office reiterated his commitment to responsible governance, contrasting his approach with what he considers the failings of the outgoing administration.