Edo State Governor-Elect Denies Seeking $45 Million Loan from China
Senator Monday Okpebholo, the governor-elect of Edo State, has denied rumors that he plans to secure a $45 million loan from a Chinese agency to fund the construction of three flyovers in Benin City. Okpebholo’s media aide, Godspower Inegbe, released a statement on Sunday, clarifying that the governor-elect has no official capacity to procure loans on behalf of the state government [1).
According to the statement, Okpebholo was invited to meet with the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, and viral photos from the meeting may have sparked the unfounded claims. Okpebholo alleged that those spreading the rumor are affiliates of the outgoing administration.
The governor-elect emphasized his focus on addressing the numerous debts accumulated by the outgoing administration without any visible development to show for it. Edo Commissioner for Information, Chris Nehikhare, also denied the speculation, stating that those peddling it are not from Governor Godwin Obaseki’s camp.
This development comes amidst Okpebholo’s earlier allegations of looting of government property and last-minute loan requests by the outgoing administration ¹. Okpebholo is set to take office on November 12.
