Edo 2020: Why minister shunned closing ceremony

Facts have emerged  as to why Minister of Youth and sports Development Chief Sunday Dare  stayed away from the closing ceremony of the  Edo 2020 National sports Festival which ended on Wednesday.

Checks revealed  that due to the antics of the Edo State Deputy Governor and the hostile attitude of the host state since last week, the Minister  decided to cancel his appearance at the closing ceremony.

Last Wednesday, hostilities got  to a head with the threat by  Edo state to shut down the Festival, throwing out Staff of the  Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development  from the Main Organizing Committee (MOC) Secretariat at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on the orders of the Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu after security  men  stormed the place in a commando style.

Though  later resolved, the Deputy Governor  continued to heat up the place demanding for money from the Federal Government. But documents confirmed that what the Edo State government presented to the Ministry was a plea for assistance, which it promised to consider. What the Federal Government promised to consider was not a pledge, neither a loan as  no agreement was ever signed.

However, the Deputy Governor had gone about it in a combative manner which made  some stakeholders of the just concluded fiesta expressing concerns that “the Deputy Governor was misinforming people that the Federal Government owes the Edo government.”