1 week ago
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By Tony Osauzo, Benin
Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has hinted that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will prosecute some of the recently impeached Edo State Local Government chairmen indicted for looting Local Government treasuries, amounting to over N95 billion.
He made this known at the weekend while receiving the report of the Administrative Panel of Enquiry set up on 18 December 2024 to investigate the financial dealings of the impeached 18 Local Government Chairmen who served from 4 September 2023 to November 2024.
Besides the impeached Local Government Chairmen, the report also indicted former Governor Godwin Obaseki, leaders of the factional Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and others.
Expressing satisfaction with the committee’s professionalism, Governor Okpebholo stated that the days of financial recklessness and lack of transparency in public office were over, adding that “Nigerians need to start demanding accountability from elected public office holders.”
He emphasised that accountability was the only way to fight corruption and ensure development.
The Governor, expressing dismay at the report’s findings, vowed to petition the EFCC for immediate prosecution.
“I want to thank you for a job well done. I carefully listened to the submission of the report. The truth is that the administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki took Edo people for granted. They took everything belonging to Edo people and channelled it for their personal gains.
“We thank God for helping us to change the narrative to benefit Edo people. We also thank the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, because without his support, we would not be witnessing the kind of development we are experiencing in Edo today.
“A lot has happened. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) looted the treasury of the Local Governments and stole our collective patrimony, and nobody went after them or took action. This time, things are different. We will go after them and retrieve what they have stolen from Edo people.
“They will be made to pay for it. I will personally take this document to the EFCC and ensure that justice is done for this wrong done to Edo people,” Governor Okpebholo said.
Earlier, Chairman of the panel, Solomon Imohiosen, Esq., while submitting the report and recommendations to Governor Okpebholo, noted that forensic investigations uncovered that huge sums amounting to N96 billion were either mismanaged or diverted to private accounts.
The panel observed that N95,080,676,687.86 was received from the Joint Allocation Account Committee (JAAC) by the 18 Local Government Area Chairmen during the period under review. However, it reported that the funds were not judiciously utilised, as no meaningful projects were on the ground to justify the amount received.
Confirming the fraudulent diversion of Local Government funds to political godfathers in the state, the panel reported that over N10,433,658,452.00 was fraudulently siphoned using the pseudo name “Security, Environment and Training.” The 18 Local Government Area Chairmen allegedly contributed to this account, using it as a conduit to drain government resources, with money transferred from there to various individuals and companies.
He noted that the panel faced several challenges during the investigation, including the late submission of financial records by various Local Government Councils, incomplete records, and deliberate obstruction by Council personnel, who failed to comply on time but later submitted hefty sacks of documents as an afterthought to mislead panel members.
“The panel’s investigation uncovered significant irregularities in the financial activities of the 18 Local Government Councils. The recommendations outlined in the report aim to address these issues and promote transparency and accountability in Local Government finances,” Imohiosen said.
English (US) ·