Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Wednesday, vowed to publish records of fraud allegedly perpetrated by Chief Lucky Igbinedion, who is a former governor of the state.
Oshiomhole, who disclosed this at the Government House, Benin, while addressing a large crowd of students and civil society groups, also said that he would forward all the files containing alleged fraud to Abuja, next week, for prosecution.
The civil society members and students marched through major roads in the city, chanting anti-Peoples Democratic Party songs and accusing the opposition party of sponsoring Monday’s anti-government protest.
Efforts by our correspondent to reach Chief Igbinedion or the then Secretary to the State Government, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, on the allegations were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
Oshiomhole accused the former governor and his father, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, of allegedly converting to private use, government properties and funds meant for the people of the state.
He also added that he was ready to publish the sales of government properties during Igbinedion’s administration, stressing that the move would reveal the identities of other beneficiaries.
Noting that he would want to be remembered for eliminating the concept of ‘godfatherism’ in Edo politics, Oshiomhole commended the youths and civil society groups for their solidarity for his government.
He explained that his feud with the Igbiendion family started when he revoked the over 200,000 hectares of government land which the former governor allegedly gave to his father in Okada as well as the termination of the Memorandum of Understanding the former governor allegedly signed with his father to allow “the medical students in Igbinedion University to use our state-owned hospital at the expense of the Edo State Government while Chief Igbinedion collects N1m from each medical student.”
The governor said, “Everybody born of a woman in this state must be subjected to the rule of law. I decree in the name of God, my creator, and in the interest of Edo people, even the ones yet unborn, I want to be remembered after my stewardship, not only for roads, for hospitals, for schools (but) much more importantly, I want to be remembered as the man who brought an end to exemptions.
“We provided the leadership that has banished the godfathers in Edo State. They can never, never forget that. I will publish records in black and white and Edo people will be told how they have been raped; they have murdered sleep. I went to Ovia North-East, Igbinedion covered all the government reserved land reserved for the people of Edo State.
“Lucky gave to his father over 200,000 hectares of land. They took the land on the grounds that they will use it for mechanised farming, I will say the truth and Igbinedion can do nothing; I can drive him out of town.”
“The angrier they are, the happier I am. With the powers vested in me as the governor, I used the powers to revoke the over 200,000 hectares of land the son gave to the father and returned it to government. That was why Igbinedion was fighting me; but I said (that) if he does not obey the law, he will go to prison. They were able to cover these things (but) Buhari is there now. So, it can never be business as usual.”
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