…Demands proof
By Newsmata
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has taken umbrage at the allegation by Governor Monday Okpebholo on Tuesday that its leaders were serviced with over N12 billion by the 18 local government council chairmen in 15 months, remitting N800 million each under an opaque subhead, ‘Environmental Security Funding’.
While insisting that at no point had PDP leaders received any such funds from local government chairmen “as ridiculously alleged” by the governor, the party challenged him to substantiate the allegation.
Newsmata.com.ng reports that Senator Okpebholo had during a courtesy call on him at Government House by the acting chairmen of councils and councillors, stated that, “When I came into the office, I had a meeting with the accountant-general, and he showed me some books. Some of these spendings had no explanation.
“I picked interest in some of the spending because I saw an item which was tagged ‘Environmental security funding’. I have never heard of that before, and the amount involved was huge – N800 million every month. These Chairmen were contributing this money and gave it to leaders of a party.”
But debunking the allegation in a statement on Wednesday, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, chairman, Edo State Caretaker Committee of the PDP described it as “unfounded”, and “unintelligent lies” which should be disregarded as “a cocktail of complete falsehood”.
Dr. Aziegbemi posited that it was just another failed attempt by the governor “to mislead the public and distract from his government’s blatant disregard for the rule of law, illegality, and ongoing extermination of democracy in the state”.
He advised Governor Okpebholo “to settle down, build capacity, and focus on serving the people of Edo State during his brief tenure at Dennis Osadebey Avenue, rather than jeopardise the peace and security of the state in desperate pursuit of his selfish interests”.
Part of the statement read:
“The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to the recent statements by the Edo State Governor-select Monday Okpebholo, where he made spurious and baseless claims to justify the lawlessness, extermination of democracy and brutal attack on the state’s 18 local councils as executed by his clueless government.
“We want to categorically state the unfounded allegations are a blatant lie and should be disregarded as a cocktail of complete falsehood. The resort to unintelligent lies and falsehood is just another failed attempt by the Governor-select to mislead the public and distract from his government’s blatant disregard for the rule of law, illegality, and ongoing extermination of democracy in the state.
“We are aware that the governor-select is desperate to get access to the local councils’ treasury to reward godfathers and settle political debts he incurred during the last governorship election and is exploring every opportunity to achieve this devious plan.
“Having failed in the illegal suspension of the council chairmen, he is now sending thugs and non-state actors to attack council headquarters, kidnap councillors, and force them into impeaching the duly elected council chairmen.
“He is desperately looking for excuses to justify this illegality and lawlessness and has decided to point accusing fingers at the PDP to mask his ignoble acts. For clarity, we want to emphasise that every comment made by the governor in the statement is false and baseless and at no point have PDP leaders received any such funds from Local Government Chairmen as ridiculously alleged by the Governor.
“We doubt very much that the figure blotted out by Mr. Governor-Select is actually the figure he intended to say. We know he was confused a few weeks ago when he was confronted with financials. However, we challenge him to provide proof to substantiate these unfounded claims.
“Okpebholo must understand that the Local Government is neither an appendage nor a subordinate of the State Government, but a constitutionally recognised third tier of government, whose independence and autonomy are guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and stop forthwith with this executive rascality before the state descends into anarchy and chaos.
“As we have repeatedly pointed out, Okpebholo’s real challenge lies in his lack of capacity and developmental plans for the state. He is a politician out of his depth who got into office unprepared, through the back door”.