Ex-Oshiomhole’s aides fight over Obaseki

By Osagie Otabor, Bénin

 

Two former aides of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole have engaged in war of words over the performance rating of Governor Godwin Obaseki.

The two former aides are Hon Pally Iriase, who served as Secretary to the Edo State Government between 2008 and 2011 and Hon Sufuyanu Igbafe, who was Oshiomhole’s Special Adviser on Local Government Matters.

Iriase had said that there was nothing to show for the N251bn collected in three years by Governor Godwin Obaseki as revenue from federation account and internally generated revenue.

He said the Edo APC crisis was contrived by Obaseki to divert attention from the true state of finances of the state and non-performance of his administration.

But Igbafen told reporters on Thursday that Iriase has since been expelled from APC for campaigning for the PDP in the 2019 general elections.

Igbafen stated Iriase belonged to the faction of the PDP that are struggling to join the APC and therefore has no right to speak for the APC in his village or the local government.

He called on Iriase to account for the constituency funds he collected between 2011 and 2019 when there was nothing on ground.

Read Also; Finally, Obaseki demolishes Kabaka’s hotel

According to him, “We expect Iriase to address issues on the PDP. He contested against the APC in the last general elections. I challenge him to point out any meaningful projects for the years he represented Owan federal constituency and placed side by side by the constituency funds he collected on behalf of our people.

“When we talk of lustre performance, he should first be asked to account for the money he collected for eight years.

He should be asked to explain why the General Hospital Otuo, is not functioning. He was the pioneer SSG to Oshiomhole between 2008 and 2011. He left that office only to tell our people he wanted to gain independence.

“There are couple of issues against Iriase, we saw recently when the ICPC visited and recovered ambulances he took as constituency projects. The ambulances were traced to Iriase. He has taken the fight so far because of his greed. He is warming up to remain in office at all times. Since 1999, Iriase has enjoyed party patronage, he was in the House of Assembly, council chairman, SSG and House of Representatives.”

Iriase said he was disappointed that Governor Obaseki procured an unofficial spokesman to go on personal attack on the weighty issues he raised by me.

He said he would not indulge in gutter fight as he figures of monthly receipts from November 2016 to November 2019, making three years assessment.

“In reply from official sources, we are told that 2,000km of roads have been constructed. People are asking where and which roads are they talking about?

They point at renovation of Secretariat building. People are asking for how much?

“The issues are beyond pedestrian name calling and personal attacks.”