The Edo State Joint Transition Committee faced delays on Tuesday due to disagreements over essential documentation required for their discussions. The committee, which includes representatives from the outgoing administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki and the incoming administration of Governor-elect Monday Okpebholo, struggled to convene as planned.
During the committee’s inaugural session last week, Secretary to the State Government Joseph Eboigbe delivered a PowerPoint presentation lauding Governor Obaseki for his commitment to maintaining clean financial records. He pledged to provide both digital and physical copies of all relevant documents to the transition committee led by Pius Odubu.
However, when the committee reconvened on Tuesday, attendance was sparse. Notably, members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) transition committee were absent.
Patrick Ikhariale, the secretary of the APC committee, explained that they had previously communicated a need for advance copies of all documents at least 24 hours before any meeting. He criticized the Obaseki team for failing to meet these requirements, stating, “The documents supplied did not meet our demands.”
Ikhariale emphasized that their requests were grounded in standard best practices, seeking clarity on various issues related to expenditures, grants, and ongoing projects. He expressed disappointment with the materials provided, which he felt primarily highlighted the achievements of the Obaseki administration rather than addressing the specific inquiries made by the APC committee.
“This is not what we were looking for,” he noted. “We have 23 areas of interest that we forwarded to them, and the submissions thus far fall short of what we expected.” He indicated that the APC committee would be sending a letter to formally request the necessary documentation, allowing for a resumption of meetings.
In response, Chris Nehikhare, the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, defended the outgoing administration’s approach, stating that the APC committee’s inquiries exceeded the intended scope of the transition process. He remarked, “We are a transition committee, not an inquisitive committee. The global practice is to present what has been done and what is yet to be done.”
Nehikhare contended that the information being requested would be included in the official handover notes from the governor. He reiterated that the transition committee’s role is to ensure a smooth transfer of information and responsibilities, not to engage in extensive investigations into the outgoing government’s performance.
As both sides work to resolve their differences, the stalled meeting highlights the challenges often faced during political transitions, particularly regarding transparency and accountability. The resolution of these issues will be crucial for ensuring a seamless handover as the state moves forward under new leadership.
