By Andy Asemota
Yesterday, December 19th, the media adviser to former governor of Edo State, Crusoe Osagie, called on the incumbent Governor of Edo, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, to shelve his said plan to squander the N800m monthly special security and environmental funds, including others sums in local governments’ accounts.
Osagie, the spokesman of the immediate past governor, Godwin Obaseki, hinged his call on the ground that the suspension of the 18 local government chairmen in the state was to the pave way for Okpebholo to access the funds.
According to Osagie, the local government chairmen should be left to continue in office.
But the Executive Director, Alliance For Good Governance, Hon. Henry Ikponmwosa, told our correspondent that the suspension of the Councils chairmen by the State House of Assembly sequel the governor’s request to probe allegations of gross misconduct, insubordination and corruption in respect of the refusal of the local governments bosses to submit their financial records two weeks after the expiration of the deadline was a right step in the quest for accountability and transparency in the third tier of government.
The AGG Executive Director said the claims in the publication titled: “Okpebholo suspended 18 Edo LGA chairmen to access, squander N800m monthly councils security funds and others,” were frivolous and fictitious allegations used to disparage the name of the governor.
Hear him: “First of all, let me stress one point, the law makers, ordered the suspension of the chairmen and their deputies for the necessary steps to be taking to investigate any incidence of malfeasance, fraud and related illegalities in an open and transparent manner.
“The bid to unearth the seedy dealings in the handling of local governments funds is the way to go in tackling the corruption that made the local governments unable to live up to their constitutional responsibilities at the grassroots.
“Nigeria in general and Edo State in particular cannot continue with the profligacy and corruption that largely characterized local government administration. So, councils chairmen that have been accused of mishandling public funds and responsibilities need to be made to account for their deeds.
“It’s good that the Edo State House of Assembly promptly suspended the chairmen and their vice chairmen to ensure that documents and evidence relating to the Councils’ financial transactions would be retrieved largely untampered with.”
On the claim of the former governor’s aide that the entire suspension process was a charade organized to enable Okpebholo divert the said funds, Ikponmwosa assured that the state house of assembly, with 14 to 4 majority of the opposition party members, would conscientiously carry out any assignment before it as many Nigerians expect.
“But argument such that advanced by Mr. Osagie has introduced a vexatious dimensions to it. He erred by speaking in the manner he did. The verdict from informed and concerned circles is that such an interjection should not have come from the former governor’s spokesman.
“Now that the matter is before the relevant arms of government, can someone advice Osagie to respect the legislative arm and the office his boss once occupied as governor and avoid politicizing the issue,” Ikponmwosa stressed.
Weighing on Osagie’s condemnation of the suspension of the Councils chairmen and their deputies as “blatant assault on democracy and rule of law,” the activist said that line of thought was too pedestrian to merit a response.
“The refusal of the chairmen to be demonstrate loyalty to the governor spelt mischief. Yet, Osagie and some so-called critics want the government to condone it. They are only shopping for excuses to abort an entire ugly episode,” said Ikponmwosa.
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