APC State Chairman, Col. David Imuse rtd. (C), flanked on the (R), by the State secretary, Lawrence Orka and (L), State Publicity Secretary, Peter Enoserogbe Uwadiae Igbinigie Esq. and other members of the State Executive.
By Kingsley Abavo, Benin
* Demands explanation to Edo people on 13% derivation fund received
By Kingsley Abavo, Benin
The All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State Chapter has again blasted the Governor, Godwin Obaseki for what it termed: ‘many anti – people policies and programs his administration has inflicted on the people.’
“The Governor has committed more atrocities, thrown caution to the wind, like a bull on the heat about to commit political harakiri!”
The main opposition political party in the State during a media briefing on Monday, 21 November, 2022 in Benin, tackled the Governor on sundry issues the party said negates the welfare of the people; including the money received from the 13 percent derivation fund for oil producing States of the nation.
The State Chairman of the Party: Col. David Imuse rtd. taking the Governor to task, said; APC demands that he “tell Edo people what he has done with the billions of Naira, President Muhammadu Buhari had released to the State.”
The Rivers State Governor, Nyesome Wike had told the whole world, that his administration has been able to build 12 flyovers across the State from the 13 percent derivation fund received.
“President Muhammadu Buhari recently approved and paid the Niger Delta States over N9 trillion due them; including Edo State,” Wike disclosed.
Flowing from this; the APC demands:
“The Governor should tell Edo people the total amount the State Government received as 13 percent derivation fund as arrears dating back to 1999.
“The development projects in the oil and gas producing Communities of Edo State which he dedicated the arrears of the 13 percent derivation fund to, if any. We want a full list, the amounts involved and the contractors who did the jobs.
“He should explain why he has deliberately refused to specify amounts received as 13 percent derivation fund in his 2023 budgets estimates.
“Mr. Obaseki has been busy maligning the Federal Government accusing it of printing paper money to fund statutory allocations and mismanagement of the national economy whereas as a deliberate policy, he has been pocketing Edo State monies by mismanaging the derivation funds.
“Since Edo State does not have a functional House of Assembly to checkmate Obaseki, Edo people should demand; the Governor publicly indicate the whereabouts of the said fund.”
The APC also condemned the proposed Edo Residency Identity Card project of the Obaseki’s administration saying:
“As a party we outrightly and unequivocally condemn the plot by the Edo State Government to issue Residency Identity Cards, to Nigerians residing in the State as part of its plans for the development, growth and progress of the State, after six years in office.
“Our rejection of these fake cards is based on Sections 25 and 26 of the Nigerian Constitution as amended.
“The sections explains that the powers to decide who a citizen of Nigeria is, is the Federal Government and that is being taken care of with the National Identity Number, (NIN).
The Governor had announced that all residents of the State must be enrolled in the ‘Resident Identity Card scheme, and linked to the National Identity Number (NIN).
The Identity Card will be used to grant access to doing business with Government in the State, he added.
But the APC replied: “Governor Obaseki is displaying ignorance if he claims not to be aware that citizenship of Nigeria and by extension, residency is a status that is legally granted to all Nigerians by birth or Naturalisation, and enables them to enjoy all the privileges and responsibilities that comes with that status.”
The Party therefore proferred a solution that the “Government should rather boost awareness about the National Identity Number ( NIN), encourage more citizens to get their NIN and thereafter liaise with the relevant Federal Agencies to get the data for all Edo residents.”
Alaghodaro Summit
The APC further in its critic; slam the Obaseki’s administration for its annual ‘Alaghodaro Summit’ which it termed: ‘Hollow Ritual.’
The Party held that Government funding of the Summit, is a waste of Edo taxpayers’ funds celebrating incompetence.
“It is a covert operation code named: ‘OBASCAM’ where the scamming of Edo people is carefully planned and rehearsed for eventual execution. Hence nothing positive has emanated from the exercise.”
Yet, the Governor has registered the Summit this year as: ‘Alaghodaro Company Limited’ with his cronies and business allies as shareholders; in the hope that his successor in office will continue with the scamming event, APC alleged.
“This is a Governor who cannot account for all the monies he has received from the Federation account since he took office while wasting billions of Naira on such white elephant projects; like the Benin Enterprise and Industrial Park, the Beinin Innovation Hub, Edo Tech Park, the Edo Refinery and Petrochemicals Company, the Gelegele Seaport, the University of Innovation, the Benin Technical College, claiming that he has bolstered the growth of a non-existent private sector.”
On demolition of existing structures in the State by the Governor, the APC said: “Obaseki has tacitly created an Edo State Ministry of Demolition with a very queer woman in charge who knows next to nothing about town or physical planning or urban development.
Hence, the Government has demolished several public structures: ‘Veterinary Clinic, the State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Headquarters of Edo State Library, the Central Hospital, and the Nigeria Observer.
“This is in addition to over 300 private properties including homes he ordered demolished at Irhirhi and environs, in the name of a New Town project for Benin-City.”
The Edo House, Lagos and Edo Line in Benin-City are the latest focus of the Governor in his seeming insatiable appetite to appropriate the legacy assets of the State to himself, cronies, and sycophants, the APC alleged.
Also, move for the grabbing of the land belonging to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Edo; the Party said declaring: “Enough is Enough!
“Our call on Mr Obaseki is to realize that his days are numbered and that he has barely 700 days to answer the label: ‘Governor.’
However, the Government spokespersons: Chris Nehikhare, and Crusoe Osagie could not be reached for reaction as at the time of filing this report, as calls to their phones were not answered.
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