The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused outgoing Governor Adams Oshiomhole of plotting to spend about N5billion few days to his exit from office on Saturday, saying the governor was set to send the sum as supplementary budget to the state House of Assembly.
The party also raised the alarm that the state governor was using his last days to approve payments of sums amounting to about N350 million to Messrs Hani Associates limited as ” payment of outstanding consultancy fee claims on sundry projects” . The application for this release warrant for payment was raised on 20th of October 2016. The director, finance & accounts, C N Omoruyi (Mrs) of the State Ministry of Education, who signed the warrant specified that
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1. This payment is chargeable to Ministry’s Code 051700100100, Economic Code 23020107 (a) with provision of =N=650,000,000.00 in the 2016 approved budget.
2. Considering the fact that the Head will be overstretched, this ministry has written for approval of Virement from Commissioner of Finance as the rule demand.
3. The relevant file carrying Governor’s approval is here forwarded for your perusal and necessary action, please.
The party at a media briefing in Benin on Sunday and addressed by its chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, also dropped the hint that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured the party of unhindered access to inspect voting materials used in the conduct of the September 28 Edo State governorship election as directed by the election tribunal. In the said letter, INEC denounced the situation whereby a party’s action or inaction would be used to tarnish its image. INEC concluded that whether APC is present or not, the order from the tribunal was clear and it was prepared to obey it.
Ahead of the planned visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Edo State on Monday, We plead with Mr. President to kindly take a walk across the road after he may have commissioned the Edo University in Iyamho to take a tour of Governor Oshiomhole’s Country Home which is just across the road. Mr President, Our outgoing governor and your host, Governor Adams Oshiomhole, started the building of this Mobutu Seseseko style estate in 2011, same time he started the building of the Accident and Emergency Ward construction in the Central Hospital Complex in Benin City. It will interest Mr. President to know that it’s the same contractor that handled both projects. While his Estate has since been commissioned and even hosted a couple of state weddings, the hospital ward has not even treated a malaria patient. What you are commissioning is a ward in a hospital that no body knows the contract value.
Mr President will be “commissioning a ward of an existing hospital, a private university built with state money and a resurfaced road.”
He said, “We have observed with displeasure the despicable financial actions of the governor. They range from the approval of highly inflated contracts without following procedure of payments and proposed presentation of a supplementary budget of N5billion that he wants to spend in less than eight days he has in office as governor.
“I’m sure this additional request will be presented tomorrow or next tomorrow. It is shocking that a governor, who will soon leave office is asking for such a huge amount of money. This is not the time to plunge Edo to more indebtedness.”
On the suspension of the Onojie of Uromi, Orbih, who is the Esama of Uromi, said, “Let me join Edo people to condemn the purported suspension of the Onogie of Uromi on his alleged support for the PDP’s candidate in the just concluded election. The action of the governor is provocative, vindictive and spiteful.
“The action is aimed at provoking peace-loving Uromi people. Ascension to the throne of Onogie of Uromi is by primogeniture and Oshiomhole cannot suspend the Onogie.
“We will continue to respect the Onogie as the rightful traditional ruler. The only thing he (Oshiomhole) can do is to deny him of his stipend.”
Chief Orbih displayed vouchers he said were obtained from the governor’s office, saying “vouchers are available, even the one showing the governor’s approval of N347million for the preparation for the bill of quantity for ten sundry schools, whatever that means.”
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