The Edo State Joint Transition Committee for the inauguration of a new government on November 12, 2024, held its inaugural meeting on Friday, committing to a seamless transition of power from the incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration to the governor-elect, Senator Monday Okpebholo.
While the Obaseki administration is under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the governor-elect, Okpebholo, ran and won the September 21 governorship election under the umbrella of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The inaugural joint session of the Transition Committee was held at the John Odigie-Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA), with committee members from both sides in attendance.
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Speaking at the inaugural meeting, Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, stated that the primary objective of the joint meeting was to facilitate a smooth handover of government.
According to him, “the primary objective of the Transition Committee is to facilitate a smooth handing over of government. We look forward to the collaborative efforts of all members in ensuring a seamless transition.”
The Chairman of the Edo State Joint Transition Committee and Secretary to the Edo State Government (SSG), Mr. Joseph Eboigbe, briefed the committee on the Edo State Government’s readiness to ensure a seamless transition process with the incoming administration.
Eboigbe mentioned that the state government had envisaged the event and established the transition committee as far back as July 2024, with the mandate to ensure that the incoming government took off on a smooth note.
The SSG noted that it was the first time Edo State would be transitioning from one government to another and from one political party to another.
According to him, the government had put together all the necessary components for a good takeoff, stressing that the ultimate aim was to ensure that the people of the state received the best.
He noted that the committee expected the incoming government to build upon the foundation of progress laid by the Obaseki administration while forming its own policy directions.
Eboigbe added that, bearing in mind the need for comprehensive data and information, about 90 percent of the committee members from the government side were civil servants holding the rank of permanent secretary.
External experts were also hired to ensure that all documents were complete and that all facts were correctly stated, assuring that members of the committee from the government side would always be available for clarifications, in or out of government.
On his part, the Chairman of the governor-elect’s transition committee and former deputy governor of the state, Dr. Pius Odubu, expressed delight that the state government had begun the exercise towards a seamless transition.
Odubu urged the committee to work diligently to ensure that both hardcopy and softcopy documents were provided to give details for the incoming administration to take off.
Odubu stated that the committee looked forward to collaborating and cautioned against any attempts to hide data or available information, saying, “Let’s not try to hide information so that the incoming government will be well briefed.”
