SaharaReporters had reported that the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mallam Mohammed Idris, in a statement said that Governor Obaseki was attacking Tinubu’s economic policies and decisions on fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange market reforms to divert public attention from his alleged poor performance in his state.
The Edo State government has accused President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government of gagging the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, for speaking the truth about the President's fuel subsidy palliatives, abandoned federal roads in the state and other policies of the federal government.
SaharaReporters had reported that the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mallam Mohammed Idris, in a statement said that Governor Obaseki was attacking Tinubu’s economic policies and decisions on fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange market reforms to divert public attention from his alleged poor performance in his state.
The minister noted that the federal government’s reaction was based on a statement credited to Obaseki – a governor in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – who recently criticised Tinubu’s government over the poor state of federal roads in his state and the palliatives provided to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
Idris told Obaseki that the 2023 elections were over and that he should show more statesmanship.
Reacting to the minister's statement, the Edo State government on Sunday in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Osa Nehikhare, said that it is unfortunate and sad that the Tinubu’s administration wants to gag an elected governor from speaking truth to power and expressing himself in the light of the perilous times the country has fallen into.
The statement read, "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 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 Nigerians to verify. Our reforms in the education sector, especially the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBEST) programme have 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?"