Thirty days to the end of his tenure as governor of Edo State, Governor Godwin Obaseki has asked the governor-elect, Senator Monday Okpebholo, to constitute a transition team.
Obaseki opined that the constitution of the transition team by the incoming government was geared towards interfacing with the transition team of his outgoing administration.
According to report the Secretary to the State Government,
Joseph Eboigbe made the call on Sunday in a statement made available to newsmen in Benin City.
DAILY POST reported that Governor Godwin Obaseki would be ending his two-term tenure of eight years on November 12, 2024.
He would be handing over the government to Senator Monday Okpebholo, candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who emerged as the winner of the September 21, 2024 governorship election.
He polled a total of 291,667 votes to defeat 17 other candidates, including his closet rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who scored 247,274 votes.
In a letter dated October 10, 2024, and addressed to the governor-elect, Eboigbe added that establishing the team would allow both parties to begin meaningful discussions and share vital information that would ensure a seamless transfer of responsibilities and continuity of governance.
According to him: “As we prepare for the transition of power, we believe it is crucial to establish a smooth and effective collaboration between your team and our current administration.
“To facilitate this process, we invite you and your party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, to initiate the formation of your transition team at your earliest convenience.
“Establishing this team will allow us to begin meaningful discussions and share vital information that will ensure a seamless transfer of responsibilities and continuity of governance.
“We are committed to providing you with the necessary support and resources to make this transition as effective and efficient as possible. Consequently, 14th October 2024 is proposed for the inaugural meeting for members of both Transition Committees.”
“We look forward to your prompt response and to working closely with you and your team in the coming weeks. Together, we can set the foundation for a successful administration that meets the expectations of our constituents.”
Eboigbe said the letter to the Governor-elect, which was received by an admin secretary at the Secretariat of the Edo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr Joy Oyere, has not been responded to.
According to report in July 2024, the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, had inaugurated a 20-member transition committee chaired by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Joseph Eboigbe, to pilot the smooth transition of power and knowledge to the next administration.