Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has announced plans to investigate the reported expenditure of $10 million by his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki, on the state-owned Nigerian Observer newspaper.
The revelation came during an unscheduled visit to the newspaper’s facilities on Tuesday, where Okpebholo and his team found the premises unexpectedly locked. They were unable to access the building housing machinery allegedly purchased by the previous administration.
In a statement, Okpebholo expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation, saying, “I visited The Observer Newspaper company to see for myself the money that was claimed to have been spent by the former governor, Godwin Obaseki, on revamping the state-owned media house.”
Okpebholo further criticized the lack of personnel on-site, stating, “There was no one there to even provide basic information, and those present were not actual employees of the organisation.”
The governor vowed to return for a follow-up inspection, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability. “Edo people deserve to know what happened to the money spent on revamping The Observer Newspaper,” he stressed.
Okpebholo’s investigation is aimed at uncovering the whereabouts of the machines and equipment said to have been purchased with taxpayer money.