Dan Orbih: Edo PDP Chairman

Jethro Ibileke/Benin
There is more trouble for the former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Mrs. Elisabeth Ativie, over official vehicles she claimed were given to her as gift by former Governor Adams Oshiomhole, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the State, has hired a law firm to help retrieve the vehicles from her.

State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, who said the vehicles were illegally given out to the former Speaker, said the party has mandated the law firm of Dr. Ehiogie West Idahosa, to recover the vehicles for the use of Edo State Government.

Recall that Mrs. Ativie had refused to return the official vehicles to the Assembly over claims that the vehicles, two Hilux van, one Lexus jeep and one Toyota Prado jeep, were given to her by Oshiomhole because she agreed to step down as Speaker.

She added that she registered the vehicles in her name and had even sold one of them.

The vehicles in question were made up of one Toyota Prado SUV, one Lexius SUV and two Toyota Hilux pick-up vans.

Addressing a press briefing on Sunday in Benin, Orbih said the mandate to the law firm was a follow up to the party’s called on the security agencies to question Oshiomhole over missing government vehicles.

He noted that the party hired the law firm over alleged plot by Governor Godwin Obaseki and the APC leaders to sweep the matter under the carpet by treating it as a party affair.

Orbih stated that the vehicles in question belonged to Edo State Government and not the All Progressive Congress.

He explained that the law firm also has the party’s mandate to ensure that all persons “involved in criminal acquisition of of State properties are prosecuted.”

According to Chief Orbih, the market value of the four vehicles with the former Speaker was N128 million.

Orbih who also accused Oshiomhole of giving out 346 brand new vehicles bought with government’s money to different people of varied interest shortly before he left office, disclosed that the party would soon file a petition against the former Governor.

“Issues bothering on criminal acquisition of State properties must be treated with utmost seriousness. It is in the light of the development that the PDP mandated the legal firm of West Idahosa to swing into action to ensure that the vehicles in question are retrieved and returned back to government.

“West Idahosa has petitioned the ICPC on behalf of the PDP. This is one matter we will not allow them sweep under the carpet. They cannot take it as an internal affairs of the APC.

“The anti-corruption crusade of the current government should be all embracing. It should not spare those who belong to members of APC.”

In the petition sent to the ICPC, Hon Ativie is accused of violating sections 10, 19 and 23 of the ICPC Acts.

The PDP also threatened to obtain an order of Mandamus to compel the ICPC to commence criminal prosecution of all those named in the petition, if the Commission failed to act on the petition within seven working days.