On Friday, August 7, 2020, Ganduje, who is chairman of the APC campaign council for the Edo governorship election, said Obaseki failed in the areas of human development and infrastructure in Edo state.

Responding to the comment, the governor in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Crusoe Osagie said Ganduje has no moral right to assess the performance of any governor because of the “baggage of the viral video of him stuffing dollars collected from contractors.”

Recall that in 2018, a viral video of Ganduje stuffing wads of dollars allegedly collected from contractors into his pockets surfaced on social media. 

Although, he has denied collecting bribe from contractors, saying the video was doctored. 

However, in his reply to Ganduje, Obaseki used the video against him, saying the Kano governor needs to clear the baggage hanging on his neck.

The statement reads, “The comment by Governor Ganduje on the performance of Governor Obaseki in the office is at best laughable. It is also disgraceful because the APC has apparently misconstrued the meaning of performance because it is verifiable that Governor Obaseki’s unprecedented performance across different sectors of the state is what has endeared him to Edo people. No amount of lame talk from the APC and their campaign handlers can erase these projects which litter the nooks and crannies of Edo State.

“Ganduje is in no position to assess Governor Obaseki or any other governor for that matter because he has baggage hanging on his neck, which he needs to clear. It is important to put some of the government’s projects in perspective so that the public can judge.

“The Obaseki-led government through different memoranda of understanding (MoU) have completed or is at the verge of completing the following projects: the 6000bpd Edo Modular Refinery in Ologbo, Benin City; 55MW Ossiomo Independent Power Plant, in Ologbo, Benin City; the 1451-unit Emotan Garden Estate; strengthened broadband infrastructure with 400km fibre optic cables laid by Main One, among others".

In the statement, Obaseki also said workers and pensioners in Edo state are happy with him because has “kept faith with paying their salaries and pensions.