Olusegun Ariyo
The administrative panel of inquiry set up by the Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo to investigate the financial accounts of the impeached 18 Local Government Chairmen in the state between September 4, 2023, and November 2024 has allegedly indicted the immediate past Governor of the State, Godwin Obaseki.
In a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday by Fred Itua, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor also allegedly indicted some local government chairmen, and leaders of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, among others.
The chairman of the panel, Solomon Imohiosen while submitting the report to Governor Monday Okpebholo, alleged that they were indicted for either mismanaging and/or diverting to private accounts, the sum of N95,080,676,687.86, being amount received from the Joint Allocation Account Committee, JAAC, by the 18 Local Government Area Chairmen for the period under review.
Imohiosen listed some of the indicted persons including the embattled chairman of Orhionmwon Local Government, Newman Ugiagbe who is also the State chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON.
Others are Ahonsi Ogiegbaen Osifo, Eric Agbonmwanre, Abraham Burma and Dickson Imasogie Notiemwenmwan.
He alleged that the ALGON chairman used his hotel, the Demarriots Hotels Limited in collusion with others to loot Local Government funds.
He further alleged that findings and forensic investigations uncovered that the N96 billion was either mismanaged and/or diverted to private accounts.
According to him, the panel observed that N95,080,676,687.86 was received from the Joint Allocation Account Committee, JAAC, by the 18 Local Government Area Chairmen for the period under investigation. However, the funds were not judiciously utilized as no meaningful projects were on the ground to justify the amount received.
“The panel established a case of fraudulent diversion of Local Government funds to political godfathers in the state. It was discovered that over N10,433 658,452.00 billion was fraudulently siphoned, using the pseudo name, “Security, Environment and Training”.
“The 18 Local Government Area Chairmen contributed the amount to the account, using it as a conduit pipe to drain government resources, as monies were transferred from there to various individuals and companies.
“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.
“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”, he alleged.
Imohiosen, however, noted that the panel faced different challenges during the assignment, which included late submission of financial records by various Local Government Councils, and incomplete submission of records.
Other challenges, he listed are 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.
In his remarks after receiving the committee’s report, Governor Okpebholo vowed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, would prosecute those indicted for allegedly looting the Local Government treasuries, running into over N95 billion.
Okpebholo, who said, he would personally petition the EFCC on the findings of the report for immediate prosecution, assured that he would go after those indicted to retrieve what they have stolen from the people of Edo State.
“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 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 the Edo people.
“Besides the impeached Local Government Chairmen who were indicted by the report, former governor Godwin Obaseki, leaders of the factional Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), among others, were also fingered.
“The days of financial recklessness and lack of transparency in public office were long over, as “Nigerians need to start demanding accountability from elected public office holders. This is the only way to fight corruption and ensure development”, he said.
Governor Okpebholo had on December 18, 2024, set up the Administrative Panel of Enquiry to investigate the financial dealings of the impeached 18 Local Government Chairmen in Edo State.
