By Eseoghene Emuke
Edo State Government on Sunday said the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government wants to gag Nigerians especially elected officials from speaking truth to power.
The Government also backed the position of Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, where he accused the Government at the Centre for poorly handling the fuel subsidy removal and distribution of palliatives.
Obaseki had berated the Tinubu-led administration of lacking clear plans to cushion the hardship that greeted the fuel subsidy removal.
The Edo governor also described the distribution of palliatives by the federal government as deceitful and not enough to address the economic hardship in the country.
But miffed by Governor Obaseki’s outburst, the federal government through the minister of information and orientation, Mr. Muhammed Idris, tackled the Edo governor and berated him for not attending National Economic Council meeting.
The Minister of information also berated for poor performance and failing to address the developmental needs of the people.
However, Edo Government described the position of the Federal Government as a ploy to gag Obaseki and other Nigerians from speaking truth to power.
In the statement signed by Edo Commissioner for Information, Chris Ose Nehikhare, said Edo people are strongly behind their Governor.
The Government noted that it will resist every attempt to gag Obaseki for telling Nigerians truth like he did in 2021 when the federal government through the Central Bank of Nigeria secretly printed money.
It also stated that Obaseki has done well as Edo governor, adding that his achievements have received global applause in Education, agriculture and other sectors in the state.
“The Edo State Government wishes to express its displeasure on the recent press statement credited to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris, over Governor Godwin Obaseki’s comments regarding the Federal Government’s handling of the resultant effects of the removal of fuel subsidy.
“It is unfortunate and sad that the Federal Government now wants to gag citizens and even a popularly elected governor from speaking truth to power and expressing himself in the light of the perilous times we have fallen into.
“This action of the Minister is reminiscent of what happened in 2021, when Governor Obaseki raised the alarm over the irregular and illegal printing of money by the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“The claim that Governor Godwin Obaseki failed to attend the National Economic Council (NEC) meetings is blatantly false. The governor has attended all NEC meetings since the onset of this administration and records are there to prove this fact.
“Records of Edo State Government’s performance are also available for Nigerias to verify. Our reforms in the education sector, especially the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) programme has been hailed globally; in the agriculture sector the Edo State Oil Palm Programme (ESOPP) Programme is currently one of Africa’s largest agricultural programs; our radical reforms in the civil and public service with the government’s e-government and capacity enhancement initiatives, as well as the development of a valid and effective Social Register, to mention but a few.
“The area where the Minister may be referring to as non performance should be the condition of the extensive Federal Roads running through the state, which the Federal Government has abandoned and even prevented us from intervening to repair claiming that contracts for their repairs have been awarded.
“Isn’t it rather unfortunate that the Honourable Minister in his first outing has taken this untoward route when he ought to be reconciliatory and seek to synergise ideas and opinions on how best to carry the country along in this difficult and trying times that we have found ourselves?” the statement read.
