Edo Guber Debate: Obaseki Blames Average Performance On Oshiomhole’s Reckless Borrowing

• You’re a colossal failure – Ize-Iyamu tells Obaseki

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has blamed what he called “reckless borrowing” by his predecessor in office, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, for the current administration’s average performance in the last four years.

Speaking during a debate with the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the September 19 governorship election in the State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, said the ‘reckless borrowing’ resulted in huge debts being owed by the State, and consequently affected the pace of development.

The debate organised by Channels Television on Sunday also saw Governor Obaseki calling out the Oshiomhole-led government for the woes of Edo state, alleging that contractors were owed about N70 billion, with the state debt profile put at about N120 billion.

Obasekj, who is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) standard bearer, said: “Let me make some points very clear. My predecessor in office borrowed recklessly and the Federal Government had to restructure all the debts that we have taken before I came into office.

“These included a whole series of bank borrowings; borrowing to pay salaries. So the Federal Government restructured outstanding obligations to Edo State to the tune of almost N30 billion.”

According to him, Oshiomhole’s tactless borrowings were largely responsible for slow pace of development and State’s huge debt stock; not borrowings from this administration.

Not letting off the heat on accusations against his predecessor, Obaseki claimed the immediate past administration did so much harm to Edo people, promising that a second term mandate would be provide an oplortunity to open up the state to endless possibilities.

He boasted that among the numerous achievements of his government is the creation of 157,000 jobs so far in the last four years.

However, in the crossfire, the APC flagbearer, Pastor Ize-Iyamu said his SIMPLE agenda is tailored to better the lot of Edo people if elected as governor.

He said Governor Obaseki has little or nothing on the ground to show after four years in office, aside the huge increase in his administration’s security vote.

Pastor Ize-Iyamu also accused the governor of appointing over 2,000 Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants on social media only to mistake such misadventure as job creation for the teeming Edo youths who have largely remained unemployed due to poor governance in the state.

“I am sure he is not going to misplace the appointments he is making now as jobs. I know in the past one month, he has appointed over 2,000 people as SSAs on social media and the rest of them.

“Those are not jobs. When you say you have created jobs, in what area? We know for example that there is a glaring vacancy in the teaching profession and every school we went to, they practically had no teacher.”

Promising to change the face of Edo State for good, the APC candidate said; “I have a simple agenda that I will work with. There is no way we can move forward without security.”

“We will invest in infrastructures and open up the State for development, particularly in the rural areas”, he assured.