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By OLA MODUPE, Lagos –
The controversy over the funding of the N30 billion Benin stormwater project has raged on with the Movement for Edo Development (MED), challenging the State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki to be ready to waive his immunity to appear before the Probe Panel he plans to set up to look into thematter .
MED, in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Kenneth Ibizugbe, and issued in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, on Friday, said that Obaseki should be ready to defend himself against possible charge of conflict of interest in the project.
Obaseki, who was Chairman of the Edo State Economic Team involved in the conceptualization of the project, allegedly negotiated and secured a N25 billion bond through his Afrinvest and for which he allegedly, through the company, received a commission running to several millions of naira.
The group argued that the action of Obaseki in the government in which he was a member amounted to conflict of interest for which he must return the money so-received.
According to the group: “We commend the move by the governor to probe the funding of the Benin stormwater project to expose possible corruption but we oppose predetermined plot to cry wolf where none existed in order to return a verdict of guilt to perceived enemies in order to settle political scores.
“The exercise should not be about searching through the haystack for as little as possible wrongdoing in order to indict perceived foes, but it should be in the spirit of actually appraising the economics of the project and how the project benefits and aligns with the government mandate of promoting the welfare and wellbeing of the people.
“But if the motive of Governor Obaseki is to indict perceived foes at all cost, then he should be ready to waive his immunity and appear before the panel to explain the roles he, too, played in the conceptualization and funding of the project.
“We are aware that his company, Afrivest, secured a N25 billion bond for the State Government and received handsome commission in multi- million naira. He should be ready to explain his involvement in all financial deals while in Oshiomhole’s government as Chairman of the State Economic Team.”
