N251bn: Obaseki, Oshiomhole’s men trade words over allegation

TRACKING____Supporters and factions loyal to Governor Godwin Obaseki and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole are now trading words over the call by former Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon. Pally Iriase, on the Governor Godwin Obaseki to account for over N251 billion accrued to Edo State in the past three years.

This was immediately followed a counter call by a chieftain of the party and loyalist of the governor, Mr. Sufuyanu Igbafe on Hon. Iriase to point out a single project he attracted to Owan federal constituency for the eight years he represented the people of the area at the National Assembly.

Besides, Igbafe also challenged the former lawmaker to render details account of how he spent billions of naira he received for constituency projects approved for him while in the Green Chamber and should explain why Otuo General Hospital is not functioning till date.

Addressing a press conference yesterday in Benin, the state capital, he called on Iriase to recant his claim that he is a stalwart of the ruling APC, stressing that he (Pally Iriase) had been expelled from the party for anti-party activities.

But, in his reaction yesterday, Iriase said: “I am very sorry that governance has been reduced to such a low level that an unknown fellow, who is not an official spokesman, will be procured and mobilised by Edo State Government to go on personal attack on the weighty issues raised by me. I won’t indulge in gutter fight.

“I gave figures of monthly receipts from November 2016 to November 2019, making three years assessment. I gave the credible sources of those figures. It is already in the public domain. 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 named the renovation of Secretariat building. People are asking for how much? The issues are beyond pedestrian name calling and personal attacks.”

According to Igbafe, who is also a former Secretary of Owan East Local Government Area and former Special Adviser to Comrade Oshiomhole on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Pally Iriase is a card carrying member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) having worked against the ruling party in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

He states that Iriase allegedly sponsored his Personal Assistant, Mr. Hilary Ozogo as the PDP candidate for Owan East constituency in the state House of Assembly election, adding that he refused severally to attend Ward meetings in 2018.

“He is funding, supporting and sponsoring the People’s Democratic Party at the ward and local government levels and he openly campaigned for the PDP. In addition, the local government executive committee was reliably informed that Hon. Pally Iriase mobilised funds to support the PDP at the Presidential/National Assembly elections, which was held on Saturday 23rd February 2019. He delivered his ward to PDP,” Igbafe added.

However, Igbafe commended Governor Obaseki for the construction of Ihevbie-Otuo Road, adding that Iriase got the same funds from the same sources for constituency projects.

While accusing the former deputy Whip of taking the fight against Obaseki too far, he noted that since 1999 Iriase enjoyed enormous party patronage and therefore should first declare his stand before rushing to the media as he lacked no locus standi and has lost the right as a member of the APC.

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