(By Tony Osauzo – BENIN)
The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday assessed the administration of former governor Adams Oshiomhole and alleged that his government was corrupt and that the ex-governor ruled Edo like a personal estate.
The State chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, who made the allegation addressing journalists in Benin City, said the former governor offered many promises and expectations at the inception of his government in 2008, but visited on Edo people disappointment, frustration and hardship, while throwing the state into debt and poorer than he met it.
Orbih said that Edo State under Oshiomhole received over N1 trillion from the federation account and internally generated revenue, but borrowed more than N300 billion, an amount he said it will take the state decades to offset.
Chief Orbih, accompanied at the press briefing by the PDP governorship candidate Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, alleged that Oshiomhole maintained a firm grip over the judiciary and legislature during his eight-year government by denying the two arms of government financial independence.
He also accused Oshiomhole of neglecting due process and “running a one-man financial riot act”, listing some of the projects allegedly used to swindle Edo as the Edo University Iyamho, award of road contracts, the Accident and Emergency ward of the Benin Central Hospital.
Orbih, commenting on the recent commissioning of the Accident and Emergency ward of the hospital by President Muhammadu Buhari, claimed that Oshiomhole deceived the president by removing equipment from the existing Stella Obasanjo Hospital and brought them to the Central Hospital for commissioning.
The PDP chairman while expressing confidence in reclaiming the mandate handed Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu through the election petition tribunal, announced that the PDP has approached a Federal High to prove to Edo people that Governor Godwin Obaseki was never qualified to contests for the office of the governor of Edo State.
“For eight years, Oshiomhole took the path of inequity to achieve vanity. He abused and insulted Edo people. We have taken it upon ourselves to put in place a government that will defend the right of the Edo State. At the end of the day, we will all have reasons to smile”, Orbih said.