• Edo Government
• Obaseki
• Okpebholo
• The Nigerian Observer

EDO STATE GOVERNOR, OKPEBHOLO, TO PROBE OBASEKI OVER $10M SPENT ON OBSERVER NEWSPAPER

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  CapitalTimesNews / 3 weeks
• 0
• 2 min read

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has hinted at plans to probe the reported sinking of $10 million in the State-owned newspaper, The Nigerian Observer, by the immediate-past governor of the State, Godwin Obaseki. Chief Press Secretary to the Edo State Governor, Fred Itua, in a statement, disclosed that Governor Okpebholo made this known when he led top officials of his administration on an unscheduled visit to the premises of the Observer titles to inspect facilities on ground. Itua stated that the Governor and his entourage were shocked as they could not gain access to the buildings where all the machines purportedly bought by the previous administration were kept. Fred Itua noted that Obaseki’s Special Adviser on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, as well as the Publicity Secretary, Edo PDP Caretaker Committee and former Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Osa Nehikhare, were the foot soldiers used by Obaseki on the project. Itua stated that the once vibrant newspaper organization was closed by Obaseki for the purpose of revamping it and ensuring it competes favourably with other national dailies, but instead of delivering on his administration’s promise to Edo people, the media house has been worse off. Fred Itua quoted the Governor as saying: “I was in the premises of The Observer Newspaper company to see for myself the money claimed to have been spent by the former governor, Godwin Obaseki, on revamping the State-owned media outfit.” Fred Itua further stated that the Governor promised to revisit the premises again to inspect the buildings and see for himself the machines Obaseki claimed to have bought with taxpayers’ money. Itua noted that the Governor said: “Edo people need to ask what happened to their money spent in revamping The Observer Newspaper. I am here as their governor to provide them with the answers. Hence, the visit to the organization became necessary.”