The All Progressives Congress (APC) transition committee has raised concerns over alleged attempts by outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki to convert his political appointees into full-time civil servants just days before his tenure ends.
Governor-elect Monday Okpebholo is set to assume office soon, following his victory in the September polls.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Benin City, Prince Kassim Afegbua, a member of the APC transition committee, accused Governor Obaseki of converting Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants into permanent civil service positions. Afegbua called the move “a deliberate attempt to burden the incoming administration with unnecessary appointments.”
“It has come to our notice that Governor Obaseki is presently converting his Senior Special Assistants (SSA) and Special Assistants (SA) into full-time civil service staff,” Afegbua said.
“This act is not only wicked but a huge disservice to the incoming administration of Senator Monday Okpebholo,” he added.
Afegbua also alleged that in September 2024, Obaseki appointed 186 aides, adding to an already sizeable group of appointees. Recently, the outgoing governor allegedly initiated the process of bringing on another 152 aides. “Governor Obaseki, for eight years, refused to recruit civil servants to fill up vacant positions and energize the civil service,” Afegbua noted.
“He also refused to set up the Civil Service Commission until two weeks ago, in the twilight of his failed administration.”
The APC committee member emphasized that civil service recruitment must follow due process and address genuine staffing needs. “We are alerting the public to be aware of Governor Obaseki’s deliberate engagement to stifle the resources of the state and pass on huge salaries and overhead to the incoming administration,” Afegbua said.
Reaffirming the incoming administration’s stance, Afegbua warned that any individuals “wrongly recruited or surreptitiously absorbed into the Civil Service, with backdated appointment letters, would be relieved of their responsibilities” under Governor-elect Okpebholo’s leadership.
