The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial candidate for the Edo election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has asked governor Adams Oshiomhole to refund the money ex-governor Lucky Igbinedion spent on the election that brought him into office in 2007.
Disclosing that the man behind the mask that financed Governor Oshiomhole election in 2007 was Chief Igbinedion, Ize-Iyamu held that the refund became necessary because the Edo governor has consistently accused his predecessor of looting the state treasury.
He stated this at the weekend during the unveiling of a book titled, “Betrayal of Trust” written by an ex-aide to Governor Oshiomhole, Orobosa Omo-Ojo, disclosing that Igbinedion was one of the biggest contributors to the money that was spent to making Oshiomhole governor.
The PDP flag bearer stated that Oshiomhole as President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, never protested against the then governor’s policies “because he deliberately needed Igbinedion friendship.”
He also urged Oshiomhole to refund the money collected from President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 to ensure the defunct ACN lost the presidential election.
According to him, “Lucky Igbinedion recommended him to some of us that people are saying he had not done well, let him appoint a man who is popular, who appears to have popularity among the people. Let it be on record that he helped him to become governor. That was how he introduced Oshiomhole. We did it for two reasons.”
“First was that because Edo is one and an Afenmai man has never become the governor. We felt it was time for an Afenmai man to become the governor. I also bought the story of Lucky Igbinedion that this man just left office as President of the NLC. This man will be interested in the masses, he will be interested in our pensioners, he will be interested in students. This man will excel. On that note, we supported him. He declared he had no money, we have to put all the resources together to support him.”
“When he is busying talking about Lucky Igbinedion, let Edo people know that it was Lucky Igbinedion that brought him. In 2007, I want him to tell Edo people where he got the money he spent to become governor. In case, he has forgotten, I will like to remind him that most of the money comes from Lucky Igbinedion. Since he is saying Lucky Igbinedion stole Edo State money, can he please refund the money he collected from Lucky.
“In 2012, Oshiomhole was in ACN. I know that a governor in ACN collected money from Jonathan in 2012 to betray his party such that ACN lost in Edo.
“I did not betray my party. A governor collected money from Jonathan to betray his party and ensure his party lost in Edo. As he is talking about people refunding money, please remind him to refund the money he collected from President Jonathan. He should please refund that money.
“Let me confess that when I was his DG, he brought a lot of money for us to use for campaign, I don’t know where he got that money from. I have been told he got that money from the state government coffers. Can he please refund the money.”
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