Former Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki

By Jethro Ibileke

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has alleged that former Governor Godwin Obaseki, leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and chairmen of the 18 local government councils were indicted for looting the Local Government treasuries, running into over N95 billion.

Okpebholo made the disclosure when he received the report of the Administrative Panel of Enquiry set up on 18 December 2024z to investigate the financial dealings of the impeached 18 Local Government Chairmen in Edo State from 4 September 2023 to November 2024.

He said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will prosecute some of the recently impeached Edo State Local Government chairmen.

The Governor, who expressed satisfaction with the committee for the professionalism with which it carried out its duty, said the days of financial recklessness and lack of transparency in public office were long over.

“Nigerians need to start demanding accountability from elected public office holders…It was the only way to fight corruption and ensure development,” he said.

Governor Okpebholo, while expressing dismay at the findings of the report that implicated the impeached 18 Local Government Chairmen, vowed to petition the EFCC on the findings of the report for immediate prosecution.

He added: “I want to thank you for a job well done. I carefully listened to the submission of the report. The truth is that the administration of former governor Godwin Obaseki took Edo people for granted. They took everything belonging to the Edo people and channelled it for their gains.

“We thank God for helping us to change the narrative to benefit the Edo people. We also thank the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, because, without his support, we would not be witnessing the kind of development we are experiencing in Edo today.

“A lot has happened. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) looted the treasury of the Local Governments and stole our collective patrimony, and nobody went after them or took action. This time, things are different. We will go after them and retrieve what they have stolen from the Edo people.

“They will be made to pay for it. I will personally take this document to the EFCC and ensure that justice is done for this wrong done to Edo people.”

Earlier, the Chairman of the panel, Barr. Solomon Imohiosen, while submitting its report and recommendations to Governor Okpebholo, noted that findings and forensic investigations uncovered that huge sums amounting to ₦96 billion were either mismanaged and/or diverted to private accounts.

He said that the panel observed that N95 billion (N95,080,676,687.86) was received from the Joint Allocation Account Committee (JAAC) by the 18 Local Government Area Chairmen for the period investigated. It, however, reported that the funds were not judiciously utilised as no meaningful projects were on the ground to justify the amount received.

Imohiosen added that the panel reported that over ₦10,433 658,452.00 was fraudulently siphoned, using the pseudo name, ‘Security, Environment and Training’, noting that the 18 Local Government Area Chairmen contributed to the account, using it as a conduit pipe to drain government resources, as money was transferred from there to various individuals and companies.

He noted that the panel faced different challenges during the course of the assignment, which included late submission of financial records by various Local Government Councils, incomplete submission of records, deliberate obstruction of the investigation by Council personnel who failed to comply on time, but brought hefty sacks as an after-thought to dazzle panel members.

“The panel’s investigation uncovered significant irregularities in the financial activities of the 18 Local Governments Councils. The recommendations outlined in the report aim to address these issues and promote transparency and accountability in the Local government finances.”

He added that the report indicted former ALGON chairman Oghomwen Newman Ugiagbe, who used his hotel, Demarriots Hotels Limited, Ahonsi Ogiegbaen Osifo, Eric Agbonmwanre, Abraham Burma and Dickson Imasogie Notiemwenmwan to loot Local Government funds.

Responding, the former Governor, Governor Obaseki, described the weight allegation as another desperate effort to justify Okpebholo’s unconstitutional onslaught on duly elected council expos.

The Governor who spoke through his aide, Crusoe’s Osagie, said it was shocking that Okpebholo appears to be completely oblivious of the fact that he does not have supervisory responsibility over the local governments and can, therefore, not set up any investigation of government officials that are elected into office just like him.

Obaseki’s full statement:

“We have read with disdain a statement by Monday Okpebholo alleging that the elected 18 local government chairmen in Edo State mismanaged N96 billion, in another of Okpebholo’s frantic efforts to justify his unconstitutional onslaught on the elected leadership of the third tier of government.

“What is most shocking about the statement is that Okpebholo appears to be completely oblivious of the fact that he does not have supervisory responsibility over the local governments and can therefore not set up any investigation of government officials that are elected into office just like him.

“As a matter of fact, these local government chairmen have a better claim to their democratic office than he, whose election stands on a knife edge, with the election petition tribunal preparing to deliver justice in the September 21, 2024 election, widely believed to have been rigged.

“Also advertising Okpebholo’s ignorance is his attempt, as usual, to drag His Excellency, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, into his propaganda. Okpebholo should kindly note that Obaseki was never obsessed with control of local government funds during his tenure, as Okpebholo has shown himself to be in the last three months.

“We are forced to, by this statement, inform Okpebholo that there are limits to his powers as governor, and if he believes there are financial infractions in a separate tier of government from his own, he should simply inform the relevant agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to carry out their constitutional responsibilities. Okpebholo needs to be reminded that he is neither the Inspector General of Police nor the Chairman of the EFCC.

“We urge all Edo people and Nigerians to ignore the lies and falsehood propagated by Okpebholo in his statement and to rest assured that His Excellency Godwin Obaseki, who is clearly the target of Okpebholo’s witch hunt, ran the most transparent government in the history of Edo State and had no authority over local government funds at any time during his [eight] years in office.”