Edo APC Charges EFCC To Invite Govt Officials Over Alleged Diversion Of State Resources
…It is such show of shame to see them sit before pressmen waving worthless pieces of papers as evidence for none existent fraud allegations – Nehikhare
By Simeon OSAJIE
Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC on 7th July, 2024 has again raised the alarm of an alleged move by Edo State governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, with the assistance of some government functionaries to process transfer ownership of Radisson Hotel to a private company, just as he did to Edo State Modular Refinery.
But the State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare dismissed the allegations saying it is such show of shame to see them sit before pressmen waving worthless pieces of papers as evidence for none existent fraud allegations against a State Government that has enthroned transparency and accountability in the cause of the administration of State’s resources.
You would recall that the State Acting Chairman of the party, Emperor Jarret Tenebe also raised the alarm last week on the high level corruption and mismanagement of Edo State resources by Governor Obaseki-led government and of how the contract for construction of a poorly conceived Radisson Hotel ballooned from N19.4bn to over N23bn in 12 months as well as who owns Radisson Hotel.
The9JaTREND reports that the State Acting Chairman of APC, Emperor Jarrett Tenebe at a press conference intimate newsmen on the latest developments at the party secretariat in Benin City, the state capital and called on Edo people and the Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to take cognizance of another alleged financial round tripping crime that the governor has set in motion,
Emperor Jarrett also use the occasion to draw the attention of the people on how three years ago Governor Godwin Obaseki brought down the only state government library to construct Shoprite shopping mall adding that the initial contract sum was put at N5.4bn, the contract has since escalated to N12bn as at the time the party checked, it was initially awarded to A&K construction and later subdivided to Shapooji Palloji under mysterious circumstances.
He also informed that the contract for the Shopping Mall has been reviewed over six times, sometimes twice in a month, nothing that it has been tuned to a conduit to siphon government resources into private hands that it is now the cesspool of corruption for high officers in the present administration.
He charged the EFCC to invite some government functionaries including Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs. Adaze Aguele-kalu, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Planning, Mr. Bernard Aigbe, Engr. Austin Osakue of Edo State Public Building and Maintenance, Mr. Osaigbove Iyoha, Chief of Staff to the Governor and Accountant General of Edo State to recover all the state resources that are in their custody.
Reacting to the allegations, Chris Nehikhare at a press conference today, 9th July, 2024 said, “On the back of these devastation that have been caused by the APC Government, the Party in Edo State seems to be surprising oblivious of this terrible situation. Just like the ostrich, they have buried their heads in the sand and have continued to gush out lies and propaganda hoping to hoodwink our people and dampen their desire to break free from the stranglehold by which the APC has shackled them for the past nine years.
“As a party whose foundation was built on a web of lies and deceit, no gainsaying, the same way they manufactured this worthless paper is the same way they manufactured the court papers which they used in misinforming and misleading the Edo people on the candidacy of the PDP candidate; it is the same manner in which they manufactured the crisis with the palace, all in a desperate effort to hoodwink the people and reawaken their completely comatose party in Edo State.
“The governorship election in Edo State is around the corner and just the way they fooled the entire nation into bondage, they are hoping to replicate the same in Edo State, parading a hardly literate candidate, who finds it difficult expressing himself in public fora and without the verve to share his vision for the people.
“But you, our Edo people are wiser than that. We know who our friends are and who are oppressors are and cannot submit ourselves to them again to inflict the pains and sufferings of these last few years on our people the second time.
“Our people are determined to break from this bondage come September 21, 2024 by sustaining the leadership of the PDP at the State level. They know that the PDP is the best choice for the continued progress and prosperity of the State and will not allow lies and propaganda by their oppressors to cloud their judgment and stop them from making informed decisions for a better future for themselves and their unborn children.”
