Obaseki Slams Okpebholo Over E-Governance Platform

Former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has criticized his successor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, for allegedly shutting down the state’s electronic governance (e-gov) platform. Obaseki described the move as “shameless” and indicative of a government lacking direction.

Senator Okpebholo had justified the decision, stating that the state’s governance framework was vulnerable to non-state actors, posing a significant security risk. The Governor, through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Umar Musa Ikhilor, ordered an immediate review of the e-gov platform. According to the SSG, no one in Edo State’s public service currently has administrative control over the platform. Despite this, the SSG directed officials and staff in ministries, departments, and agencies to continue using the platform until the review is complete.

Reacting swiftly, Obaseki’s Media Adviser, Crusoe Osagie, condemned the decision, calling it “shameful and regressive” and a disservice to Edo workers and residents. He stated, “This irrational decision is not only shameful and regressive, but also an insult to the sensibilities of Edo workers and the people of the state. It further exposes the government’s cluelessness and lack of the depth and knowledge required for effective governance and administration in the 21st century.”

Osagie clarified that the platform is managed by the Edo ICT Agency, a parastatal under the Ministry of Digital Economy, supported by expert consultants. He attributed the current challenges to the Okpebholo administration’s decision to indiscriminately sack civil servants, including those trained to manage and operate the e-gov system. According to Osagie, “Had the government not embarked on the ongoing indiscriminate sack of civil and public servants in the state, the officials and workers responsible for this system would have been available to explain and train them on the process and functionality of the digital system.”

He dismissed claims of a lack of institutional memory, stating that all government data is securely stored in the state-owned Data Centre built during Obaseki’s administration. He said, “All government memory and data are stored in the state-owned Data Centre, which was built and commissioned by the immediate past administration of His Excellency, Mr. Godwin Obaseki. The Data Centre is situated within the Government House compound, from where the Secretary to the State Government is dishing out his jaundiced statements, filled with lies and half-truths.”

Osagie emphasized that Obaseki’s administration had spent eight years implementing progressive policies to lay a solid foundation for Edo State’s development. He urged Okpebholo to continue on this path if he lacks a vision for the state, rather than reversing the progress made under his predecessor. “For eight years, the immediate past governor, HE Godwin Obaseki, focused on nuanced policies and programmes to lay a solid foundation for the State, placing it on the path of progress and prosperity. We advise Okpebholo to follow this path if he doesn’t have a vision or plan for the state, rather than erode the progress that has been made over these past few years with his illogical and poorly thought-out decisions and policies,” he stated.

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