By Ehi Ekhator
The governorship candidate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has been indicted in a financial scandal amounting to N5.567bn.
You May Also Like
According to information gathered by NAIJA CENTER NEWS, EFCC is set to invite the governorship candidate to explain the role he played in the alleged misappropriation of fund belonging to KCA-Deutag Nigeria Limited.
Directors involved are Mr. Joachim Ostermeier, Mr. Manoj Raghavan Vadakkara and Mr. Godwin Obaseki.
NAIJA CENTER NEWS gathered that EFCC has already quizzed the Germans involved and they are currently on bail.
NAIJA CENTER NEWS gathered that Obaseki was never voted into the position and how he occupied the office for years still puzzled the rightful occupant.
KCA-Deutag is a drilling and oil service company belonging to Late Chief Humphrey Irikefe Idibi, the father of Hon Lovette Idisi representing Ethiope Federal Constituency, Delta state.
On the 30th of July, 2002, KCA-Deutag Nigeria Ltd entered into a Drilling/work over contractual Agreement with late chief H.I Idisi for which the consideration accruing to chief Idisi was percentage-commission on all the day rates earned by each of the 6 rigs of the former.
This contract was reviewed by the parties on the 29th day of May, 2008 with improvements on the entitlements of late Chief H.I Idisi putting his commission on each of the rigs at 3.5% of the day rates earnings.
Chief H.I Idisi died in 2009 and since his demise, the management of KCA-Deutag Nigeria Limited have not remitted his entitlements according to the agreements reached by the Administrators of his estate.
A source who did not want to be named said the Administrators with Godwin Obaseki as the only Nigerian among them, have refused to fulfill their obligations in a manner that can easily be interpreted as embezzlement.
The source said the management had an arrangement of succession with late Chief Idisi to have somebody named by him or his legal representatives to succeed him as chairman of the company should death, health or other supervening circumstances makes him not to continue in that capacity.
Despite the agreement, the Late Chief Humphrey Idisi position is still vacant and the Estate of late Chief have no current knowledge of the financial dealings and status of KCA-Deutag Nigeria Limited as it should through receipts of updated Audit reports.
Speaking with NAIJA CENTER NEWS, Hon Lovette Idisi confirmed the indictment, adding that “The matter is before the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in Port Harcourt. It is something I would not like to discuss on phone. At the moment, we cannot say they are guilty as we are in court. Godwin Obaseki is one of those that were involved in the unlawful act. He has not been brought in by EFCC for his own side of the story.
Another son of Chief Idisi, Mr. Efe Idisi said “I can tell you that whatever happened was not the right thing they were supposed to do. The space of my dad that was filled up was not supposed to be filled up by anyone else.
Concerning whether Obaseki can be trusted with fund or not, Efe said “How can you trust him when we never even voted him there in the first place? The space he is presently occupying is supposed to be the space of the Late Chief Idisi.
“You cannot trust someone you did not vote into power, someone forces himself into such position is an indication that everything about that person is wrong. Eventually, for him doing that in an estate, you don’t expect anything different in the governorship, do you?”
NAIJA CENTER NEWS attempt to request response from the Solicitor in charge of the Estate, Barr. Ojealaro Friday proved futile as he said he could not comment on what’s already on the table of the EFCC.
“I cannot comment on issues already on the table of the EFCC” he said.
More Stories
Nmesoma forged her UTME result, Committee report says
A Customer Accuses Housing Finance Group Of Stealing Millions Of Shillings From Her Account
FCMB’s MD Not Father Of My Children, Moyo Thomas Finally Opens Up
