Senator Monday Okpebholo, the Edo State Governor-elect, has officially appointed Fred Itua as his Chief Press Secretary, marking his administration’s first significant appointment.
This announcement comes as Okpebholo prepares to be sworn in as the new governor on November 12, 2024.
Fred Itua, a seasoned journalist with a strong background in political reporting and former Assistant Political Editor at The Sun newspaper, brings expertise that is expected to strengthen transparent and effective communication in the Okpebholo administration. The appointment underscores Okpebholo’s intention to prioritize open and efficient public communication as he embarks on his tenure.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) transition committee has clarified the absence of outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki from the inauguration. According to a statement issued by Prince Kassim Afegbua, an APC transition committee member, Obaseki was excluded due to his alleged attempts to obstruct the transition process.
In his statement, titled Obaseki and His Lamentations, Afegbua criticized Obaseki, asserting that instead of facilitating a smooth handover, the outgoing governor was creating unnecessary challenges. “Rather than assist in a smooth transition, Obaseki is focused on disrupting the process,” Afegbua claimed.
The APC’s response followed Obaseki’s recent claims, made during a PDP gathering, that Okpebholo had allegedly borrowed between ₦2 billion and ₦5 billion from the state’s ₦27 billion project funds to cover inauguration expenses. Obaseki criticized the expenses as wasteful and questioned the financial prudence behind the event.
Dismissing these allegations as “self-indicting” and “laughable,” the APC transition committee argued that Obaseki’s remarks were rooted in the PDP’s dissatisfaction following their electoral loss. The committee highlighted that outgoing leaders traditionally facilitate inaugurations, but alleged that Obaseki was using budget demands and other tactics to complicate the power transfer.
With Okpebholo set to assume office, the APC expressed confidence in a successful start to the new administration, reiterating its commitment to moving past the political discord and focusing on serving the people of Edo State.
