By Idahosa Musa
Edo South Senatorial Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, who was allegedly indicted by the Local Government Administrative Panel set up by Governor Monday Okpebholo, for the investigation of mismanagement/diversion of over N95 billion local government funds, Elder Dickson Imasogie, has demanded public apology from one Andrew Enwanta.
Dickson Imasogie also demanded a retraction of a statement allegedly made by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chieftain Andrew Enwanta, on his indictment by the panel.
It would be recalled that the Chairman of the Panel, Barr. Solomon Imohiosen, had during the weekend while presenting the report to Governor Monday Okpebholo allegedly indicted the immediate past governor of the State Godwin Obaseki, some embattled Local Government Chairmen and Chieftains of PDP for either mismanaged and or diverted to private account the sum of N95,080,676,687.86 billion.
Imohiosen alleged that the fund was being received from the Joint Allocation Account Committee, JAAC, by the 18 Local Government Area Chairmen for the period under review.
Reacting to the indictment, Dickson Imasogie who demanded a public apology opined that his reputation cannot be sacrificed on the altar of desperate bid for political relevance.
Imasogie, who spoke through his media aide John Osagie, threatened that should Emwanta’s fail to do the needful within the stipulated time, he would explore all available legal avenues to ensure that justice prevails.
He said, the sum of N40 million, which was transferred from the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, account to his personal account, was not a political favour but a legitimate payment for services rendered.
He said the money was payment for the hire of tractors, which were used in grading earth roads across multiple 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 N40 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”, he said.
The Nigerian Tribune recalls that Governor, Monday Okpebholo set up the administrative panel to investigate the financial accounts of the impeached 18 Local Government Chairmen in the State between September 4 , 2023 and November, 2024.
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