Former Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Monday said the Okpeboro governor had orchestrated the suspension of 18 Local Government Area (LGA) chairmen by the state House of Assembly to allow access to Okpeboro, which would earn him 800 million naira every month. They accused the government of wasting the country’s special security fund, environmental fund, and public works funds. Other funds in local authority accounts.
Mr. Crusoe Osagie, Obaseki Municipal Media Adviser, in a statement to Naija News on Wednesday, said the whole ruse started with a meeting at the Government House, where Mr. Okpebolo asked the Speaker of the House of Assembly to submit the financial statements for September to November 2024. He claimed that he had instructed him to submit a report within 48 hours. .
He said this was followed by a letter from Mr Okpebolo, through the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Communities and Mayoral Affairs, to the 18 council chairmen, instructing them not to utilize or spend the funds without his approval. said.
Mr Osagie claimed that this direction was to ensure that the funds remained intact in the coffers of the local government while giving him enough time to carry out his sinister plan to take over the 18 local government councils. .
According to Obaseki’s aides, the Edo State Assembly was then incorporated into the plan through a combination of intimidation and inducement.
He said: “The situation culminated in yesterday’s legislative session, where 18 council chairmen were illegally suspended and the governor deducted 800 million naira per month from the Special Security Fund, Environment Fund and other funds in local government accounts. The way to access and waste has been opened.”
“The lack of transparency in the revenue collection and management system under Monday’s Okpeboro-led government has resulted in revenue to the state government plummeting by more than 75%, from 8 billion naira to about 2 billion naira per month. Please remember.
“The recession is said to be linked to a turf war over revenue collection by thugs allegedly hired by Okpeboro and used for the 2024 governorship election. Appalled by their activities, Okpeboro announced a moratorium on revenue collection, leaving the state without revenue for several weeks.
“The governor, strapped for cash following a revenue slump, appears to have looted and exploited local government finances and therefore engineered an illegal suspension to allow unfettered access to these funds. .
“We would like to reiterate that the suspension is unconstitutional and void. This is a blatant contempt for the Supreme Court’s decision in the case brought by the Federal Attorney General and the Minister of Justice.
Mr. Osagie stated that local governments are neither appendages nor subordinates to state governments, but are the third tier of government recognized by the constitution, and that their independence and autonomy are guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Okpeboro. He said it was necessary to understand.
“We condemn this blatant attack on democracy and the rule of law and call on the Edo State House of Assembly to immediately rescind this decision, act in the best interests of the people of Edo State and uphold the rule of law. I ask,” he added.
