By Naomi Sharang
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Sept. 21 governorship election in Edo, Senator Monday Okpebholo, says he will right the wrongs of Gov. Godwin Obaseki-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration, if elected .
Okpebholo said this in a statement issued by his media office on Thursday in Abuja.
“Our administration will right the many wrongs of the PDP administration and ensure that Edo is governed with a human face.
“We deserve more and my administration will provide that.
“If elected as governor, my administration will behave differently. Beyond the minimum wage, we will look at other priority areas for civil servants, like quality healthcare, housing and proper transportation.
“I call on Edo people not to be disturbed; help is on the way.”he said.
He asked Gov. Godwin Obaseki to explain how he spent the N5 billion approved by the Federal Government as palliatives to cushion the hardship of civil servants in the state.
The candidate recalled that President Bola Tinubu, had in 2023, approved N5 billion for each state and the FCT to enable them provide interventions to ease hardships in their respective states.
He alleged that the governor had not spent the money for the purpose it was meant, saying he was rather keeping the money to prosecute the Sept.21 election.
Okpebholo also described Obaseki’s recent increment of minimum wage from N40,000 to N70, 000 for workers in the state as a Greek gift.
He said: “Obaseki is actually owing Edo civil servants arrears of six months. Like other states, Edo got N5 billion from the Federal Government to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
“In FCT, civil servants were paid additional N35,000 for six months.
“Other states did the same thing and distributed palliatives to them. In Edo, Obaseki has been mute. No civil servant got any extra money like their counterparts in other states.”
He said that civil servants deserve a better deal from the state government and that the N70,000 minimum wage announced by the governor was to mask his failures and trick Edo people to vote for “a failed party” in September(NAN)
