Politics: PDP raises questions for Oshiomhole

 

Governor Adams Oshiomhole

By Gabriel Enogholase The PDP, yesterday, put the outgoing APC administration on the spot raising issues of alleged financial impropriety, which it challenged the administration and Mr. Godwin Obaseki to respond to.

PDP chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, who raised the allegations alleged that a company linked to Mr. Obaseki received N1.5 billion as commission for facilitating the N30 billion loan from the capital market taken by the State government to fund the Benin City Storm Water Project.

He also challenged the governor to reveal to Edo people, the owners of the former Guinness Guest House, along Reservation Road Benin, the builder of an estimated N5.8 billion residential house along Okoro- Otun Road.

Orbih, who made the disclosure while addressing a campaign rally alongside the PDP governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu held at the Motor Spare Parts Market at Evkareke in Benin City challenged Governor Oshiomhole to deny the information that it was Godwin Obaseki and his company, Afrinvest that facilitated the loan for the Storm Water project.

The PDP State chairman alleged that despite paying over N23 billion to the contractor after performing less than 30per cent of the project that was awarded without a valid environmental impact assessment, has already become an ecological disaster threatening hapless citizens.

Noting that the government has withdrawn N180 million in form compensation to those living at Queen Ede erosion site and after that the sum of N450 million to pay compensation to those affected by gully erosion in Auchi, Orbih quipped:I am challenging the governor to publish the list of people that they paid the compensation to either in Auchi or Benin.

As a matter of fact, there is no record anywhere showing how he paid the money to the victims of the erosion problem.”

Lamenting the plight of the traders at the Market, many of whom have relocated outside Edo state because of the prohibitive and multiple taxes of the State government, Orbih called on the traders to use their PVCs to reject the APC on September 10 with their votes.