Our reporter
The Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to launch an investigation into alleged financial mismanagement linked to the suspension of two senior state officials.
In a statement released to Uptown Press NG on Thursday, Tony Aziegbemi, the State chairman of the PDP, voiced concerns that the suspension of Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Samson Osagie, and Chairman of the Edo State Local Government Service Commission, Damian Lawani, confirmed the party’s long-standing fears about systemic financial mismanagement under the current administration.
The suspension of Osagie and Lawani was announced on Wednesday by Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo following accusations of official and financial misconduct. The Governor’s action, outlined in a letter from the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Ikhilor, revealed that both officials would remain suspended pending a full investigation into the allegations.
The statement from the government read: “The Governor has approved the suspension of Hon. Damian Lawani and Hon. Samson Osagie due to allegations of grave official and financial infractions. A committee has been set up to investigate the claims, with both officials suspended until further notice.”
The committee, formed by Okpebholo, will examine the charges against the suspended officials and recommend any necessary action. The suspension follows the Governor’s stated goal of ensuring accountability and transparency within the state’s administration.
In response to his suspension, Osagie has strongly denied the allegations, insisting that he has never been involved in any financial misconduct. The suspended official maintained that he had not been confronted with any specific charges prior to the suspension and expressed confidence in his ability to defend his reputation.
Tony Aziegbemi, however, criticised the suspension as a mere “tip of the iceberg”, claiming it revealed a deeper pattern of financial mismanagement and corruption under Governor Okpebholo’s watch. Aziegbemi further accused the governor’s administration of engaging in “widespread theft of public funds” and said the suspensions were just the beginning of a broader exposé of corruption.
The PDP leader also alledged a significant drop in the State’s internally generated revenue, which had fallen from approximately N8 billion to N2 billion monthly under the current administration. Aziegbemi pointed to this as evidence of mismanagement and called for urgent federal intervention to restore local government autonomy and ensure a thorough investigation into the financial improprieties.
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