Obaseki Urged to Pay AAU Staff Their 32-Month Salary, Accused of Using Edo Funds for Asue Ighodalo’s Campaign

Obaseki Urged to Pay AAU Staff Their 32-Month Salary, Accused of Using Edo Funds for Asue Ighodalo’s CampaignBenin City, Nigeria– The APC New Media Directorate has issued a scathing statement, calling on Governor Godwin Obaseki to immediately settle the 32 months of unpaid salaries owed to the staff of Ambrose Alli University (AAU). The Directorate has accused the governor and the PDP of diverting state funds to support the gubernatorial campaign of Asue Ighodalo, rather than addressing the financial plight of the university’s staff.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In a press release signed by Osigwe Omo-Ikirodah, the APC New Media Directorate expressed its deep concern over the recent revelations that emerged during an interactive meeting between the Labour Party gubernatorial candidate and AAU staff. During the meeting, senior lecturers courageously voiced their frustrations, revealing the extent of the financial hardship they have faced due to the state’s neglect. Some staff members have not been paid for up to 32 months, leaving them in dire straits.

One senior lecturer, overwhelmed with emotion, took the unprecedented step of recording a video message directed at Governor Obaseki. In the video, the lecturer implored the governor to stop using state funds to bankroll political campaigns while AAU staff suffer. This plea has highlighted the growing discontent among educators and the broader Edo community.

The APC New Media Directorate did not mince words in its condemnation of Governor Obaseki’s actions. “It is nothing short of a disgrace that Godwin Obaseki, who has failed the people of Edo State for eight long years, is now using the unpaid salaries of AAU staff to bankroll the campaign of the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Asue Ighodalo,” the statement read. The Directorate also pointed out the irony of Ighodalo’s involvement, given his role as Obaseki’s economic adviser over the same period.

The statement further criticized the drastic reduction in funding to AAU, from over N270 million during Adams Oshiomhole’s tenure to less than a hundred million under Obaseki. This shortfall, they argue, has directly led to the non-payment of salaries and other entitlements, leaving the university in a state of financial ruin.

The APC New Media Directorate called on Governor Obaseki to take immediate action to rectify the situation, emphasizing that Edo State’s resources should not be used as a personal campaign fund. The statement concluded with a demand for the immediate payment of all outstanding salaries to AAU staff, warning that the people of Edo State would not remain silent in the face of such “blatant injustice.”

This development has intensified the political atmosphere in Edo State as the governorship election approaches, with many citizens questioning the priorities of the current administration.