Uproar in Edo, Obaseki under fire to account for N17bn FG refund, N73bn loans, N800m security votes

There is rising uproar in Edo State as stakeholders are demanding Governor Godwin Obaseki to account for the funds of the state government. The stakeholders are protesting that the revenue or budget of the state government under the leadership of Obaseki does not correlate with the development in the state.

Governor Obaseki has, thus, come undier fire to account for the Federal Government refund of the cost of reconstruction of federal roads during the former Governor Adams Oshiomhole administration of the sum of N17 billion to the Obaseki administration.

The stakeholders in Edo State also protested that the Federal Government released an accumulated 13% derivation fund owed Edo State, and they are yet to know the hundreds of Billions of Naira.

Edo stakeholders also raised alarm that Governor Obaseki met members of the Edo State House of Assembly at night to approve a loan of N48 billion, and he got it. They added that Governor Obaseki also met Edo State House of Assembly members at night to approve another loan of N25 billion, and he got it, thus, incurring cumulative loan of N73 billion.

The Edo stakeholders further raised alarm that Governor Obaseki is collecting a Security Vote of N800 million monthly from the Edo State treasury.

They are demanding the governor to account for the N6 billion monthly allocation from the Federation account.

The stakeholder protested that Governor Obaseki is collecting all the money in EDSOGPADEC and SUBEB funds annually but not utilising the funds for the purposes they are allocated.

They also complained that Governor Obaseki is collecting IGR in Edo State to the tune of N2.5 billion monthly, adding that the governor is selling any available government properties and community lands.

The Federal Government was said to have brought COVID-19 palliatives to the state, alleging that Governor Obaseki sold them.

According to them, “Donors committed Billions of Naira to fake Edo COVID-19 figure, till date no one knows how much except Godwin Obaseki.”

They lamented that the LGA monthly payments from the Federal Government is solely held by Governor Obaseki, who could not give any reason for refusing to conduct local government election in Edo State.