Alleged N95bn LG funds fraud: Edo PDP chieftain demands apology, threatens law suit

By Jethro Ibileke

A chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Edo, Etose Dickson Imasogie, has asked a chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC Andrew Enwanta, to retract the accusation that he collected fraudulently collected the sum of N40 million from funds belonging to local governments in the state.

Enwata allegedly made the claim which the PDP chieftain described as false false on a national TV.

Imasogie is demanding a public apology from the APC chieftain of within a week over his statement on his [Imasogie] alleged indictment by the local government administrative panel set up by Governor Monday Okpebholo, in the alleged diversion and mismanagement of over ₦95 billion local government funds.

Recall that the Chairman of the panel, Solomon Imohiosen, while presenting the report to Governor Monday Okpebholo over the weekend, indicted the immediate past Governor of the State, Godwin Obaseki, some local government Chairmen and chieftains of PDP for either the mismanagement and or diversion to private account the sum of approximately ₦95.1 billion.

Imohiosen alleged that the fund was received from the Joint Allocation Account Committee (JAAC), by the 18 Local Government Chairmen for the period under review.

Names on the list of those indicted include the Chairman of Orhionmwon Local Government Area, Newman Ugiagbe who is also the State Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON).

Others are: Ahonsi Ogiegbaen Osifo, Eric Agbonmwanre, Abraham Burma and Dickson Imasogie Notiemwenmwan

But, Imasogie in a statement by his media aide, John Osagie, threatened that should Emwanta failed to retract his statement within the stipulated time, he would explore all available legal avenues to get a redress.

He said the sum of ₦40 million, which was transferred from the ALGON account to his personal account, was not a political favor but a legitimate payment for payment of tractors hired for grading earth roads across several local government areas in the State.

The statement reads in part: “It is no longer news that the Edo State Government, through the Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to the Governor, issued a statement alleging that the investigative panel on the mismanagement of local government funds indicted certain individuals, including Etose Dickson Imasogie.

“However, it is imperative to set the record straight. Etose Dickson Imasogie never collected a single kobo from anyone under the guise of political patronage.

“The sum of ₦40 million which was transferred from the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), account to his personal account, was not a political favor but a legitimate payment for services rendered.

“The amount was payment for the hire of tractors, which were used in grading earth roads across multiple local government areas (LGAs) in Edo State.

“The council engaged his company’s services for this purpose, and the transaction was purely business-related, not a political handout.

“It is both shameful and ridiculous that Andrew Emwanta would go on national television to misrepresent the facts, falsely alleging that the funds were given to Etose Dickson Imasogie as a form of political patronage in his capacity as a PDP leader.

“This claim is not only baseless but also a deliberate attempt to tarnish his reputation. The said payment was for contracted services, not a gift or reward for political influence.

“In light of this, I am giving Andrew Emwanta one week to retract his false allegations and issue a public apology. Etose Dickson Imasogie’s reputation cannot be sacrificed on the altar of Andrew Emwanta’s desperate bid for political relevance.

“Should he fail to do so within the stipulated time, he will face dire consequences, as we will explore all available legal avenues to ensure that justice prevails.”