Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has approved the formation of a 14-member State Assets Verification Committee to investigate the administration of his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki.
Fred Itua, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, shared the news in a statement on Sunday, revealing that the committee will be inaugurated on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, at the Government House in Benin City. The committee will be led by Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe as chairman, with Anslem Ojezua as deputy chairman and Frank Edebor as secretary.
The statement highlighted that the committee’s primary focus is to promote accountability and transparency in governance. Itua also noted that while there had been calls for a comprehensive database of assets and liabilities under the Obaseki administration, only limited information was provided, and the committee seeks to fill this gap. This initiative aligns with Okpebholo’s campaign pledge to prioritize probity in governance.
The committee includes prominent Edo State figures such as Kassim Afegbua, Patrick Ikhariale, Taiwo Akerele, Patrick Idiake, Rasaq Bello-Osagie, Fredrick Unopah, Abdallah Eugenia, Patrick Obahiagbon, Kenny Okojie, Lyndsey Tes-Sorae, and Abass Braimoh.
Governor Okpebholo, who assumed office on November 12, has emphasized accountability as a key focus of his administration. He has previously promised to investigate the 2019 exclusion of 14 lawmakers from the State House of Assembly and has ordered a probe into civil service recruitments conducted under Obaseki from May to November 2024.
